How it Happened, I'll Never Know
by Yesterday's Tonic
Summary: A humorous story about the day we ended up with a broken down van, a tiger, and five Ronin Warriors on our doorstep.
1. Chapter 1

**How it Happened, I will never know**

The day had started out pretty normal; I really don't know what went wrong. It was Saturday, so I ended up sleeping in until nine that morning. I got up, dressed, and went down to locate Mary. I live with her, see, her and her family. She's my best friend; they took me in and provided me with a real home. I found her in the recreational room, playing with her Keeshund, Magnum.

"Morning!" I said, unbuttoning my coat and plopping down in one of the chairs. I'm the oddball morning person here, for some reason. Well, that's only partially true. I'd stay up all night and morning and then sleep during the afternoon and evening if I could. Going back to the present, I greeted Magnum as he bounced up to me, his tail wagging and tongue lolling out. I'm _not_ a dog person, not now not ever, but I could handle Mag in small doses.

"So how are you?" asked Mary, before she became sidetracked as Mag went for her paddock boots. "Mag, NO!" she yelled, prompting him to drop them and scamper off.

Grinning, I said, "I'm fine. How are the children today?" By children, I meant her four legged ones, the horses, her dogs, and her kitten.

She laughed as she prevented Magnum from chewing on the propane heater pipes. "They're alive and well, for the time being."

We hung out and watched the Ronin Warriors, making sarcastic comments about their behavior and sniggering at our private jokes. "Ryo, shape up or Elayne'll come kick your ass!" I yelled at the TV, causing us both to burst into hysterics, imagining Ryo backing slowly away from an enraged Elayne.

"Yeah," said Mary between laughs, "You'd better be careful, you'll get hung from the ceiling rafters by that awful mullet of yours!"

We were outside approximately an hour later, while Mary walked Magnum. The puppy was bounding around, chasing stray leaves and picking up every stick he laid eyes on. We chased him around, playing with him by running off and then letting him catch us, throwing the stick and letting him bring it back. It was more work than you'd think and I'd soon warmed up enough to shed my coat.

That was when the normal day went absolutely crazy. Magnum all of the sudden started barking and while Mary was trying to calm him down, I walked around from behind the house to see a van that had pulled into the driveway. I blinked, my brow knitting in confusion as the door opened and a guy got out. I turned and beckoned Mary, who walked up with Magnum, who was doing his best to appear intimidating.

The guy had a black _mullet_ of all hairstyles and appeared to be rather amused by the puppy's antics. "Hey, umm, sorry about intruding, our van broke down and we were lost."

"That would be Kento's fault!" said a blue haired one, popping out of the van next. "If you'd given the map to me we wouldn't be in this mess!"

"Kento?" I asked, frowning slightly. I looked at them with new eyes. I felt shock wash over me and suddenly was taken over by the same humor that had sustained me through everything else. Turning to Mary, who was staring wide eyed too, I said, "Kitty's gonna kill us."

She glanced back at me. "I'd better call Siffy," she said, cracking a grin. "She might want to hop a flight."

We watched with raised brows as everyone got out of the van, lining up to look at us and Magnum, who was behind Mary's legs, still barking. "So," I said, breaking the silence that prevailed as we gave each other awkward looks or else avoided looking at each other entirely. "My name is Rebekah and this is my best friend Mary. This pipsqueak is Magnum," I pointed to the puppy.

"Uh, right," commented Ryo, or at least the guy I'm pretty sure was Ryo said. "I'm forgetting my manners. My name is Ryo, this is Sage, Kento, Cye, and Rowen." He gestured between the guys as he said their names.

Mary and I exchanged another glance. She looked back at them, apparently decided to go the safe route and act like this wasn't actually as bizarre as it seemed. "Would you like anything to drink?" she asked. "Some tea?"

I almost lost my composure as I realized she had specifically avoided offering food. We could not afford to feed Kento, that much we knew. My slight snort did not go unnoticed and I got weird looks from them, who probably thought I was crazy. "Umm, I've got plenty of green tea," I offered them, hoping to sound sane instead of stupid.

"That sounds nice," consented Ryo, casting a warning glance at Kento, whose eyes were filled with thoughts of every kind of food imaginable.

We turned to go inside when another car pulled up, this time a taxi. Mary and I froze in our tracks, suddenly scared of who or _what_ might climb out that car. "Please tell me it isn't the sailor senshi," I muttered, echoed by Mary.

A short, brown haired girl popped out, flinging her arms wide and yelling, "HEY! I came for a surprise visit and... what is going on?" she blinked at the guys standing behind us, then shrieked. "Oh my GOD!"

"So much for remaining calm," I muttered, then said, "Hey Kitty!" I paused, then said, "Wait, you are Kitty, right?"

"Of course I am," she grinned, putting her hands on her hips. Then she pulled her bag out of the taxi, gave the guy his money, told him to keep the change and literally charged up to us.

"Oh, come on Kitty, you can put your bag in my room," I said, grabbing her wrist and hauling her into our dorm as quick as I could. "Don't, don't, don't kidnap Ryo or Sage," I pleaded in a whisper, as I showed her into my room upstairs. I set her bag on my big air mattress and continued, "They had just pulled in like two minutes before you got here and Mary and I are still trying to figure out what the heck to do."

"How is it that hard to figure out?" shrugged Kitty. "I take Ryo and Sage, you get Kento, Mary gets White Blaze, we're all happy."

I snorted and started laughing. Placing a hand on her shoulder I said, "Sorry, girl, you need your mind cleaned."

We were about to head out when Mary burst in, shut the door and leant against it. She gave us a wide eyed look and then started laughing, trying hard to stifle it. "This is insane," she got out, gasping.

"Agreed," I said, then thought for a minute. "What are we going to do when mom sees them?"

Mary's mouth fell open. Then she said, "I'm keeping White Blaze!"

Kitty looked at me and said, "Told you."

"Well," I said, running a hand through my hair and tightening the ponytail it was in. "I guess the best we can do is call the nearest car repair and take a look at their map."

Mary grinned and saluted. "I go for the phone book. I still can't believe they left the navigation to Kento," she said. "He probably got them lost by directing them from one fast food joint to another."

We sniggered at the thought and walked out of my room and back downstairs. Mary went to get a phone book and I asked to see their map. They looked at me doubtfully but I received it anyway.

I laid it on the desk and said, "Where were you headed?"

"We _were_ on our way to New York," commented Ryo, as everyone gave Kento dirty looks.

"Ok," I mumbled, returning my eyes to the map.

"Are you sure you can find their way for them?" Kitty asked from behind me.

"Mhm," I muttered distantly. "I did it for years as navigator for the Nazi." _What is the deal with this map?_ I wondered. Something just wasn't right about it.

"Nazi?" questioned Kitty, looking baffled.

"She probably means her mother," commented Mary, walking into the room carrying the phonebook. Kitty's mouth formed a large O, remembering that I'd told her about my family. Mary handed the book to Ryo and said, "Knock yourself out."

He looked at it for a moment, then said, "What's this for?"

Her eyes went wide and then she laughed. "It will help you in the fight against evil and tyranny!" she declared grandly.

"Really?" Ryo held the book eagerly, looking like he was starting to find a start button to make it transform into a weapon. "How? How does it work?" He flipped it open, paying no attention to the numbers and names printed throughout the pages.

Kitty gaped. "Don't be mean to him!" she said defensively.

Ryo looked puzzled, looking from her to Mary who was grinning like the Cheshire cat. "What?"

Rowen sniggered. "It's a phonebook, you medieval oaf."

All we got was another confused, "What?"

"Been living alone too long, Ryo," Mary teased.

"I'll help you get up to date!" Offered Kitty, bounding to the opportunity.

Not having paid much mind to them until this point, I broke into their peculiar conversation to ask, "Where did you get this map?"

"A guy sold it to us for fifty cents," commented Cye. "Said it'd do us for the trip. Why?"

I groaned and banged my head against the wall. "How did you guys survive this far?" I asked. "This map is from _1975_!"

A silence settled over everyone as they digested this information. "Oh," said Cye. "I suppose that does make sense."

Rowen covered his face, unbelieving. To escape their ignorance, he grabbed the phonebook from Ryo and went to call the tow truck.

Ryo shook his head and said, "So now what now?" he asked.

"Obviously you need a new map," commented Kitty, grin on her face. "I can get you one."

Mary raised an eyebrow. "U.S. Dollar, or yen says its a map to _her_ place."

The guys looked at first confused and then annoyed. I intervened by saying, "Maps aren't that hard to find, its just how you got one so old that I don't understand."

"They're talented!" declared Kitty.

"At what? Pushing the boundaries of Murphy's law?" I asked.

"And kicking Bad Guy Butt!" she said loudly, striking a pose.

I snorted and then laughed as I flicked the power bar on, causing the computer modem to grumble to life. The button to turn on the monitor was pressed, allowing the screen to light up, and I turned back to look at the guys, who were staring. I groaned and said, "Oh sure. You don't know what a phonebook is, how should I expect you to know how to operate a computer..."

"Why do you think they keep Rowen around?" asked Mary.

At this point, the afore mentioned blue-haired ronin reentered the room. "They're coming to get it," he said to the room, and then he looked at Ryo. "This means we have to get White Blaze out."

"Oh no," muttered Cye.

"What's the big deal?" asked Sage, who up to this point had been silent. "Its not like they'll be eaten."

Ryo said, "We don't need-"

"We won't panic!" Kitty half-shrieked, before I clapped a hand over her mouth. Mary was looking at the ceiling, probably plotting how she'd steal the cat and get rid of the guys. I grinned rather nervously under their suspicious looks.

"What was that about?" asked Cye, slowly.

Rowen looked between us and said resignedly. "You know who we are, don't you?"

We glanced at each other and nodded. I released my grip on Kitty just as Mary said, "I'll trade you Magnum for White Blaze!" I cringed instantly.

Ryo's face when blank. Then he said, "No."

"Tucker?" she haggled hopefully.

I elbowed her, grinning widely. "Don't worry. Cats know cat people as soon as they see them."

"He wouldn't have to protect me, though!" grinned Mary.

"Don't be stupid," commented Sage. Then he turned and walked towards the door. "Come on Ryo, we've got to get your cat inside before the towing people call the zoo."

Kento sniggered. "You could replace Sage! You look like Setsuki!"

I smirked evilly. "Might have to if he tries to go for the cat and ends up with his butt kicked."

"Sage versus Ryo: Fight!" said Mary, with a grin that showed how much she was enjoying herself. She bounced around on her feet, waiting anxiously for the cat to come in.

"Cool it," I said, still imitating Sage. "You know mom wouldn't let you keep the tiger anyhow. What would you feed it?"

"Tucker and Hooch, first off," she said, grinning in a slightly evil way.

I raised an eyebrow. "How appetizing."

Kento was cracking up and I looked over at him, "Shut up, hot dog." He gaped and then laughed uproariously.

Kitty waved away my previous comments. "I'm with Mary. We'll feed it Tucker and Hooch."

I raised an eyebrow again and said, "Do you even know who they _are_?"

She grinned but refrained from commenting as the Troublesome Trio reentered the room. Sage came in last and didn't even look over until he had shut the door. When he did look, he did a double take, his only visible eye widening as I stood in a half-slouched position, arms crossed, an emotionless, slightly pissed expression on my face, my hair covered my other eye.

He blinked and then said, "What the hell is this?"

"I'm your sister," I said calmly.

Sage was mouthing words but nothing was coming out and finally Kento couldn't handle it any more and started laughing hysterically. I smirked evilly and pulled my hair back. I gave a sarcastic bow and said, "Thank you very much, everyone." I grinned evilly again, thoroughly pleased with my handiwork. Walking over, I leaned on his shoulder and said, "No hard feelings right, Sage, ol' buddy?"

His face had completely shut down in disgust. "Go away," he said.

"Aw, come on, you're supposed to be the warrior of light. Lighten up!" teased Mary, as I chuckled.

Kitty looked to be restraining laughter but she said, "He probably hates you now."

"Ah, for the moment anyhow," I grinned. "I'm too cute for anyone to hate forever!" I gave a peace sign as Mary cracked up. I got off him and patted his shoulder. "No worries, I won't torture you any further."

As I walked back towards the computer, intent on locating directions for them, the tow truck people pulled in. Mary and Ryo went out, Mary to give the phone number so they could reach us. They came back in, Mary commenting, "They aren't going to steal your van, for pity's sake, they're going to repair it." She looked at me and rolled her eyes before she went over to White Blaze, who had made himself comfortable on her little brother's purple bean bag, and rubbed him behind the ear, earning a throaty purr in response.

Just then the door burst open and I closed my eyes. I knew what this meant. The Ronins turned to see who had entered and Mary, Kitty, and I braced ourselves. A girlish scream emanated from a tall, lanky looking boy, who gaped at those directly in front of them. Whirling towards us, he demanded, "Where's Michelangelo?" he demanded, determined to know where his beloved Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were.

"Guess they didn't care to drop in on us today," I commented sarcastically, my face shutting down at his presence.

Mary rolled her eyes and said, "Everyone, this is my little brother Justin, also known as Zolt." Turning to him, she said, "Be happy they're here, don't push your luck by wishing for too much."

He looked like there were stars in his eyes as he looked at the Ronins and I couldn't resist commenting, "He looks like he's in love." I chuckled as the Ronins recoiled. "Oh, he isn't gay. At least... not that I know of," I added as an afterthought.

Kitty smirked and poked his side, probably only because she wouldn't have been able to reach his head. He squeaked and jumped aside, quick to pout and mutter, "Great, there's another horrible female in this house."

That earned him a kick in the shin, which sent him to the floor. He might have howled if he wasn't so busy trying to look tough with all the other guys staring at him. "Don't worry," I said, not really paying attention to what Kitty might be doing to Justin. "No one is going to kick you guys in the shin."

"Well," Ryo said a little awkwardly. "It would appear that we're without a vehicle. I would appreciate it if you would help me make reservations at an Inn, somewhere nearby."

"There aren't any," Mary said, "You're welcome to bunk here. You may as well, after all, who else could feed Kento?"

"Hey Kento," I said, leaning back and waving to get his attention. "Meet your new buddy," I pointed to Justin. "He eats every bit as much as you, if not more."

Justin grinned proudly. "That's right," he declared. "I've got a hollow leg and a hollow arm."

"...And a hollow head," followed up Mary.

"I appreciate your generosity," said Ryo. "Thank you."

"Oh, not a problem," Mary waved it away, doting still on the purring tiger. "Besides, you can't take White Blaze into a hotel room. They wouldn't accept pets." White Blaze grunted, tilting his head to the side to give her a better vantage point to scratch under his chin.

"She'll keep you here just so she can steal your tiger," Kitty said, looking at Mary in disapproval.

"No fighting, children," I said from my seat, not looking away from the screen.

"We're older than you!" Kitty said.

I looked over and grinned. "You're right. Its just that I'm the only one who ever grew up."

Kitty stuck her tongue out at me and said, "Quit trying to be high and mighty. You're just as infantile as we are."

I smirked. "Now, now, little girl, you mustn't say such rude things to your elders."

"Children!" Warned Mary, who watched us bicker with amusement in her eyes.

"You guys may as well make yourselves comfortable," I turned to them. "I'd magic up chairs for everybody, but since I'm not so capable, you'll have to pull up a piece of carpet instead." They exchanged glances before reluctantly sorting themselves out. It was a lot like one team facing another, unsure of what to do unless they had to fight for some reason. "Okay, you didn't take the hint I guess. RELAX!" I hollered, making half of them jump. "Nervous lot, aren't you?" I muttered, before shaking my head and returning my eyes to my work.

Rowen got up the courage to come over and talk to me, probably because he was interested in the computer. "What are you working on?" he asked, noting my look of concentration and the fact that I was typing like a madman.

"I'm writing," I commented, not really looking up, my fingers flying over the keyboard as idea went from my brain to my hands and into the computer screen.

"What do you write, if you don't mind me asking?" He sat down in the computer chair, looking over my shoulder. Ordinarily that kind of thing irked me, but maybe because he didn't smell as bad as Justin does when he does it, I didn't care.

"Fiction, normally adventure of some kind," I answered. "I suppose you can call it fantasy, but not much of that any more."

"You know Japanese?" he commented, looking at the title of the current novel.

"Only bits and pieces," I said. "Its incredibly complicated. I'm nearly fluent in Spanish, though."

"You like learning languages, huh?" he asked.

"I'm a geek, I'll admit it. I love information."

Mary snorted, from where she was. "Rebekah's made a new friend."

I rolled my eyes skyward, knowing full and well she'd only barely been able to restrain from making darker insinuations, like that I'd met my future boyfriend or something embarrassing like that. "Don't worry, Mary, there's no cause to be jealous. Nothing will ever change that you're my best friend."

"Better be careful," Kitty teased. "What would your brother say if he thought you'd gotten a boyfriend?"

Rowen was quick to look down, hiding his expression and the other Ronin seemed amused with his reaction of embarrassment. "He'd be happier than a cat with catnip," I said, deciding it best to ignore her hidden implications. "But fortunately, he knows me well enough to know that it won't happen." I could almost feel Rowen's relief. _Poor guy,_ I thought.

"What? You're gay?" she was obviously enjoying teasing me... too much.

I rolled my eyes in her direction and then put my head into my hands. "I take back what I said. I need new friends," I muttered. Looking up, I said, "Please don't make me tell them about you and the duct tape."

She was quick to protest. "But that wasn't-"

"They don't know that." I teased her back, my smirk more evil than if it had been Talpa doing it. She looked chagrined but she shut up. I shook my head and returned to my novel without further comment. Kitty was funny and it was always a hoot to tease each other.


	2. Chapter 2

"Lets do something together," Justin said. "A board game!"

Mary was quick to say, "What board game allows nine people to play all at once?"

"Um," he frowned, thinking some.

"Don't hurt yourself," Kitty said, seeing his look of intense concentration.

"There are a few options I can think of," I added to the mix. "However, they're rather juvenile."

"Let's hear 'em," said Kitty, who perked up.

"Truth or Dare, tag, anagrams, or the Green Glass Door."

"What's the Green Glass Door?" asked Cye.

"It's a word game," I said. "A player who knows the trick tells a new player what does or does not belong inside the green glass door. All the clues have exactly 2 duplicate letters which belong inside it, you'll notice in the name of the game each word has two duplicates. Here's an example: behind the door you may attend classes at school or college but not courses at a university."

"It's a riddle," said Rowen, looking thoughtful. "It is school and college," he said.

I nodded. "Correct."

"Eh, that sounds too much like work," Mary commented.

"I'll play tag!" commented Justin.

"I hate running," I said simply. "But it other people besides him want to play that, we can."

"I'd rather play Truth or Dare," said Ryo. "I don't want to go back out there in the cold."

"Anybody else for Truth or Dare?" I asked. Everybody raised their hand, even Sage who looked like he'd rather be dead. It having been agreed, we moved to sit in a circle, though it was more like a circle that had been sat on because it was definitely lopsided. I went to sit beside Mary and found my spot taken by White Blaze. _How fitting,_ I thought with amusement. So taking in my options, I sat beside Kento and Cye, deciding they were the safest. I was unsurprised to see that Kitty was beside Ryo and Sage. She looked like Christmas had come early.

"So who goes first?" asked Justin.

Mary said, "I'm thinking of a number between 1 and 55. Whoever is the closest goes first." Everybody threw in their numbers, even White Blaze, who tapped his tail on the floor twenty times. "Bah, you're all off, it was twenty-seven!" Mary said, wagging her finger in the air. "There goes the whole psychic warrior thing out the window."

"Jeez, she's sweet," commented Kento.

"I've been known to be worse; ask Monty or Eclipse, who was pummeled the other day. You don't mess with an Italian, capiche?"

"So who goes first?" asked Kitty, looking bright eyes and bushy tailed at the prospect of playing truth or dare with Ryo and Sage. "Ryo?"

I smirked. "This ought to be good."

Ryo thought about it for a minute, still wondering why the outside forces hated him so much to land him in this predicament. He let out a sigh through his nose, "Fine..."

He considered his options and Mary snorted out, "Ry, steam is coming out of your ears, stop thinking so hard."

The Wildfire Ronin glared at her for a minute before turning and looking trying to pick a 'victim.' "All right, Rebekah. Truth or dare."

"I'll be darned," Mary muttered, "He's got more guts than I thought."

I looked at him and decided that I'm not a guy, I haven't got an ego I need to impress, and I don't feel the need to prove anything to these dweebs, so therefore, "Truth," I said.

"Smart girl," Mary praised and Blaze gave a rumble in apparent agreement. Ryo gave her another evil look and she flipped him off. She noticed that Kitty had sidled up closer to Ryo than before, but either Ryo was immensely gifted at ignoring people or he had ADD. Personally, I think he's got ADD.

"Okay, what's the one thing you can't stand about Sage?" He tried not to smirk.

"Moron, what a dumb question," Mary grumbled. "We'll be here for a while."

I sniggered and said, "What _do_ I like about sage?" She thought for a minute and said, "From order of biggest annoyance to least, his constant expression that looks more like a glare than anything else, he never says anything and if he does he's got an attitude, his hair is in his face and it always irks me when people are too cool to get their hair out of their bloody eyes..." I trailed off, realizing that it was becoming more and more like a rant. I noticed with amusement that Kitty had now gravitated over to comfort the murderous looking Sage. "I'll stop there," I smiled sweetly at him. Then I looked around, contemplating who to torture. "Hmm... Eeny meeny miny moe..." I smirked as I selected her prey. "Cye, truth or dare."

Cye gave a wry grin, he'd picked up on a few things and one was that if I was going to give a dare, it would be a doozy. "Dare," he said.

"Stupid Redcoat," grumbled Mary.

I couldn't help the evil smirk that spread across my face. "Time to inflict my pain upon you," I said. "I dare you to listen to everything Justin has to say about Godzilla."

Justin's eyes lit up and Mary groaned loudly. "I have a stipulation to add to that! As long as it takes place on the back fort and far away from ME!"

I laughed. "Fine with me. Justin, you have an hour tops, okay? We'll see how dizzy Cye is when he gets back."

"Aw, not fair," Justin complained. "I need at least two. I guess I'll condense it." Justin beamed and grabbed Cye, then the two left.

"I wonder if the coyotes will get them," Mary mused.

"Aw crap, I didn't realize we'd have to wait an hour for them to get back to keep playing. Oh well, Mary, you do it now."

"Mmm, my victim is..." Mary paused for a dramatic effect. "Twig!" she pointed at Rowen. "Truth or dare?" she chirped.

"...Dare?"

Mary beamed and refrained from emitting a Talpa-esque laugh. I grinned, I'd trained my friend so well. "Okay, I dare you to go out to the field, select a target, and while blindfolded, take a flake of hay in and stand for twenty minutes." She smirked, feeling quite righteous about her dare.

Rowen's eyebrows went up and he stared in bafflement. Going out, we followed him to view in amusement as he selected which horse he would give the hay to. It ended in chaos, of course, as the horses swarmed him and fought over it. He had originally picked the pretty gray one, but we were pretty sure that Monty got the most. Back inside the house, Rowen sat down looking disheveled and rather confused. He picked off bits of hay and swiped at his shirt where Monty had tried to make off with it. Looking around he sighed and said, "Kitty, truth or dare."

Kitty smiled and said, "Truth!"

"Er," Rowen said, as if unsure of what to do now. His IQ didn't do much good when it came to this stuff. "What's... your favorite pastime?" he asked.

Mary let out a groan. "Oh no, he didn't ask that..."

I smirked, "Mary, who assigned you to be the commentator?"

"You don't get it," she groaned again. "That was a _bad_ question."

Kitty smiled again, very sweetly, as she said, "Torturing Ryo and Sage."

Mary put her head in her hands. I couldn't help but laugh at Ryo and Sage's facial expressions. They wouldn't have been more shocked if they'd been slapped in the face with a dead raccoon. Ryo subtley edged away.

"Okay," said Kitty, pretending to think, "Sage, truth or dare."

Sage raised an eyebrow and tilted his head a little, actually revealing both violet eyes for a change. He could not believe this either. Honestly, why hadn't he drowned himself like he had planned? Oh, not enough water, that was right. "Fine," he let out a sigh, "Dare."

Kitty smiled very sweetly, not at all giving away the atrocity she had planned. "I dare you to streak - on the highway."

"WHAT?" Sage sputtered.

Ryo perked up, "Someone tell me they brought the video camera! I want the evidence for blackmail."

Rebekah burst into laughter, falling over backwards unable to breathe. "I am not going to watch this," She said, after she'd gotten enough air. "I got enough of a guy's butt when my brother mooned me. Personally, I don't care to repeat the experience voluntarily."

"I knew you were going to make him do that," Mary said to Kitty, handing over her video camera, "Here ya go, have fun."

Kitty and Sage walked down to the highway, the rest of us stayed behind. Well, we made Ryo stay behind under the threat of thinking he was secretly gay. "But I only wanted to-" he protested, looking genuinly upset, like a toddler denied ice cream.

"No buts," I interrupted firmly. "I don't allow those kind of shenannigans around here."

Mary coughed but it sounded more like "Issues," to me.

When the victim and his torturer returned, Sage red faced and Kitty floating along on own little cloud, we could safely resume. Still fuming silently, Sage resumed his place and said, "Ryo, truth or dare."

"Truth," Ryo commented, knowing that a dare coming from a pissed of blonde swordsman would be a BAD idea.

_Damn_, thought Sage. "Why did you pick this driveway out of how many others?"

"The voices in my head told me to," Ryo flatly responded, "Also known as listening to you guys bitch for the last twenty miles."

"It was fate, Sage!" I chimed in, with a cheesy smile. "What would be doing right now if it weren't for us?"

"I'm not obligated to answer that," he grumbled, doing an emo-sulk in his corner.

"See, I knew he sulked," Mary declared, picking up her head, "Yay, Justin and Cye are back!"

Ryo paused and refrained from picking. Cye looks totally and completely bemused, "Is it possible for someone to know that much about Godzilla?"

"FG shoulda made you listen to him ramble on about dinosaurs," Mary grumbled.

I grinned, "Next time maybe," I promised Mary.

"YAY!"

Cye grumbled, "See if I'm dumb enough for there to be a next time."

"I'm forfeiting and Cye gets to pick," Ryo announced with a smug grin

Cye looked at him with an unreadable expression, probably considering murdering his leader in his sleep tonight. "Sage, truth or dare."

Sage wasn't dumb enough to go for dare twice in a row, especially after last time. "Truth."

"Why are you sulking?" asked Cye, leaning against the wall, eyebrows raised in interest. Everyone looked at Sage and stifled their laughter. Sage sneered and said, "I'm not sulking!"

"Yeah and I'm engaged to one of the Prince's of England," Mary snorted out

"You are?" both Ryo and Justin ask

Kitty and I started to laugh and I said, "Hey, Justin, Ryo, gullible is written on the ceiling."

"It is?" Ryo looked up.

Justin glowered, "I'm not that gullible, I was being ph--- oh sarcastic." I smirked evilly at Ryo who was glaring at me and high fived Kento.

Sage muttered, "Fine, it's because I was dared to streak on the highway."

"Oh?" Cye perked up. "Wow, I got off easy! Did you film it?" he asked eagerly.

Kitty grinned and held up the video camera. "I've got all the evidence."

Justin made a face, "Girls are sick."

"Just the obsessed ones," Mary mumbled.

"What's your excuse?" Ryo snorted out.

Mary rolled her eyes, "I don't happen to need one. Someone bug Justin already." Obviously Mary was getting bored at this point.

Sage rolled his eyes. "Justin, truth or dare."

"Truth," Justin said with a grin; while he may look naive he's anything but stupid.

"You can only pick one and you absolutely CANNOT say anything more than their name," began Sage, who also was more intelligent than his head of blond hair might have suggested. "Who would win in a fight between Captain Jack Sparrow and Michelangelo?"

"That blonde hair cuts off circulation to your brain," Justin observed, "Mikey hands down, he'd nunchuk the pirate's butt. Cause ninjas are cooler than pirates."

"He doesn't mean you," Mary whapped Ryo who was grinning. I laughed at Sage's miffed expression.

"Okay," Justin grinned and set his eyes on Kento, "Truth or Dare?" Mary has been waiting all this time just for this.

Kento looks excited. "Dare!"

"I dare you to," Justin smirked, "Go without eating for the next hour."

Kento gaped and then glowered. "Fine. Mary, truth or dare."

A bored expression was on Mary's face, "If you can come up with an original dare, dare. Otherwise, truth."

Momentarily put off, Kento thinks, "I dare you to resist petting White Blaze for the next hour."

"Oh please, that's the best you can do?" Mary scoffs and picks up Missy and strokes her instead. "No worries Blaze, you can eat him later too," she adds. I watched as Missy gets out of Mary's arms and latches herself onto Ryo's foot.

Ryo yelps in pain "OWWWW!" Ryo hollers.

Mary scooped up her kitten and lavishes her with praise, "Good kitty kitty; clever girl!" Ryo sulks and Sage sniggers, pleased that someone else was receiving torture besides him.

"Okay, back to me I guess, or are we done?" Mary queried.

"Keep going, I've only been picked once," I complained.

"I almost didn't get picked at all," Mary commented, "Okay, truth or dare FG?" She beamed.

"Dare," I grinned. "If you dare me to touch Sage in any manner I will kill you," she added seriously.

"Oh I wasn't going that way," Mary admitted, "I dare you two spend five minutes alone with each of the Ronin."

I tilted my head and said, "What for? So I can remind them why they never want kids?"

"You'll think of something," Mary winks, adding lowly, "I didn't say you couldn't take sharp pointy objects with you."

I perked up. "Ooo, ok! So long as I'm armed, I don't mind." I grinned and said, "Now, or later?"

"Whenever," Mary chirped

"Later then," I said happily, now looking forward to terrorising each Ronin where he couldn't get help. "This is too much fun. Umm, Ryo, truth or dare?" I decided to get him back for picking me first.

"Dare," Ryo says, obviously at this point he no longer cares about his own well being.

My grin could have split my face. "I dare you to give Mary a hug. A real one. Note that I didn't say Mary had to reciprocate," I added with a wink to my friend.

Mary got up and Ryo blinked, "Where are you going?"

"I need the gelding equipment," she announced.

"WHAT?" Ryo squeaked.

Mary beamed, more than pleased with the reaction she got. "Kidding!"

Ryo nervously hugged Mary, then let out a yelp when she stepped on his foot and then elbowed him in the gut, "Okay I got the violence out of my system!" She took her seat.

Ryo's eyes were twitching, "Rowen, truth or dare?"

Rowen looked at the Ronin of Wildfire and decided that it was suicide to accept dare from him in his current state of mine. "Truth," he said calmly.

"Did you bother to check the van over before we left?" The words came out in a growl.

Rowen sighed and said, "Of course I did, I just can't account for the fact that Kento dumped that popcorn into the fuel tank." His eyes widened. "Oops, I said that out loud."

Rowen turned to Kento and said, "Truth or dare?"

Kento grinned, "Truth."

Rowen nodded and said, "What do you think of this game so far?"

"It's funny as heck," he grinned, obviously enjoying himself. Kento looked over and said, "Hey, Justin, truth or dare?"

"Mm, Dare," Justin was rather bored with it at this point.

"I dare you not to eat for two hours," said Kento, happy to be finally getting his revenge. "And, you can't bring up Godzilla or dinosaurs."

Justin glared, "Fine I'll talk about videogames instead."

Mary let out a groan, "And the world was from then on DOOMED."

Justin ingored his sister and pointed at Sage, "Blondie, truth or dare?"

Sage narrowed his eyes at the boy. "Truth."

I felt that at the moment that it was appropriate to comment, "Wow, they've been pussywhipped. They keep picking truth."

"You noticed? Talpa would have won," Mary dryly commented

Justin smirked, "Why do you act like there is a broom up your butt? And the 'grandfather excuse' won't cut it." Mary cracked up.

Sage's eyes went wide and he sat upright. "Who says I act like I've got a broom up my butt?" he said in astonishment.

"Earth to Sage," I waved a hand in his face. "Everybody, that's who!" Cye and Ryo both nod

He gave me a dirty look and then glared at his teammated for supporting me. "Because that's what I was raised to be," he answered robotically.

"_Psst, Kitty,_" I said. "Sage needs a hug." Her eyes lit up and Sage found himself enveloped by the little woman. I sniggered as his eye twitched.

"Sage needs YEARS of therapy," Mary added.

I nodded in agreement. "That's ok, we can go together, right Sagey-poo?" I asked, teasing him.

He looked like he wanted to throttle me, truly! Instead, he turned to find someone else to tag. Mary, he knew better than to deal with but he ought to be able to handle, right? Kitty, he was from hereon out ignoring entirely, Rebekah was just flat out annoying, and Justin was... strange. So he said at long last, "Mary, truth or dare."

"Let's see what your made of Seiji," she said with a smirk, enjoying when he stared at her for using his ACTUAL name, "Dare me."

He scowled faintly before saying, "I dare you to take the evidence of that horrible thing Kitty made me do and destroy it all."

Mary shrugged, "Whatever, it already played on the news. A little late for that but..." Ryo was howling, Sage's eye twitched and a blood vessel popped in it from his blood pressure skyrocketing. After sitting back down from completing her task, much to Kitty's disappointment, she dared Justin to bring her his padded bokken. Justin blinked but brought it anyway, against his more obvious misgivings. Mary settled into a stance, called out, "Head," and beams Sage in the head with it. She then sat back down indian stye, bokken at her feet. "Okay, I feel better now.

Justin shook his head and said, "Who hasn't gone twice yet?"

"One thing is for certain," said I, "If any poor soul hasn't gone twice they aren't going to volunteer themselves." I smirked as they exchanged looks, obviously agreeing. "I have an idea," I said, earning more wary glances. "How about we just call it a night so I can start torturing Ronins?" I asked hopefully.

"Yes!" Mary praised. "Besides, I have horses to tend." She grabbed Justin, "I need water, come with me."

I laughed as Mary dragged him out of the room and then turned to look at the Ronin who were still watching her with a prey animal's wariness, each trying to be less significant than the others. "Who's up first?" I asked, a little too cheerfully.

"He is!" All point to Cye, who in their opinion made it out the easiest.

"Bloody traitors, the lot of 'em," Cye grumbled.

I sniggered and said, "Aw, poor Cye. Come on then, we've got _bonding_ to do!" I links arms with the miserable looking Ronin dragged him upstairs.

"Poor Cye, we knew him so well," Ryo said mournfully.

"Ah, whatever," Rowen grumbled out. Someone had evidently informed him that Cye thought he'd best be left in outer space.

"Don't be so cheerful," I hollared down, having heard them. "You're next, Ryo!"

"If I commit sepukku now," Ryo mused.

"Don't even think about it," Rowen glared.


	3. Chapter 3

I dragged Cye up the stairs to my room and shut the door behind us. He looked around nervously, perhaps expecting to see instruments of torture hanging from my wall. I watched him with interest. "What are you scared of?" I asked him as I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall.

"Who says I'm scared?" he demanded defensively.

"Oh please, you're whiter than a ghost, your eyes are darting everywhere, and you're as tense as...as Sage. What's your issue?"

Cye scratched the back of his head and said, "What are you going to do to me?" He sounded like a puppy afraid of punishment. It almost came out as a whimper.

I bit back a grin that would have unsettled him even further. Of all the ronin, Cye and kento were the least annoying to me, hence I felt no need to annoy them back. "Who says I'm going to do anything to you?" I responded in like.

He tilted his head, a small gleam of hope in his eyes. "You're not going to..." he trailed off, as if unwilling to voice the dreaded event.

"Do what?" I asked, half smiling in amusement. "What _could_ I do to you? I'm curious to know what it is you are so scared of me doing to you. This is me, not Kitty, we're talking about. I've no interest at all in seeing you nude."

He fidgetted. "Er, nothing in particular..." I raised an eyebrow at his expression and then shrugged it off with a laugh to accompany it. "So, what are we going to do then?" he asked.

"I don't know, think of something," I ordered with a wave of my hand.

"What's your favorite food?" he asked, fumbling for neutral ground.

Again, I felt incredulous at his topic choice. _Well, this is going to be a boring five minutes._ "Japanese."

Cye appeared surprised. "Really? Sorry, that just didn't seem like something you'd pick. Cool. Tell me about yourself."

I resisted the impulse to roll my eyes and sat down cross legged on the floor. I put my arms behind my head and shut my eyes. "I'm 17, a writer, artist, and I used to play the guitar. I like anime, cats, horses, darkness, weaponry, anything to do with pre-20th century history, languages, and goth."

"Anime, eh?" he asked. "Which is your favorite?" He was smirking, evidently thinking that it would be them.

"Hmm," I said. "Its a tie between Madlax and Hellsing."

"Aw, what about us?" he pouted.

"Eh..." I shrugged, "Sorry, not the rabid fangirl type. You want to hear about yourself from an obsessed fan, go down and pose these same questions to Kitty."

"I'll pass," he said, not liking the sound of that. "So what do you write?"

"I already explained that to Rowen," I said, bored with this conversation.

"Okay then, what do you draw?"

"I draw what I write, I write what I draw," I answered cryptically. I was more than ready for this five minutes to be over.

It was pretty obvious at this point that Cye was keeping the focus of the duscussion on me to spare himself from unnecessary bloodshed. "Why did you stop playing the guitar?" he asked, scrounging for things to say.

"Serious injury to my wrist left me unable to play or continue taking lessons for almost two years. At that point, it was far too weak and prone to reinjury that I didn't return at all. I did play from time to time however, until my dad managed to wreck it when he insisted on changing the strings instead of me. That was it, then. I miss it, but there's nothing to be done about it."

"What did he do with it?" he asked. I shrugged, not feeling like elaborating on the subject. "How long are you visiting for?"

I opened one eye and sighed, shutting it again before I responded. "I live here." I smiled and added, "But to answer your question, until I can finish college and get a decent job to afford a place of my own." I reflected on my words and said, "Not to sound like I'm rushing or anything." I glanced at my watch and was relieved to see that the five minutes were over. Standing up, I offered Cye a hand, which he accepted, surprisingly. _Hmm, I must have succeeded in calming him down,_ I thought. I grinned as I gripped the door knob. "Your personal torture session is over. You may leave." I opened the door for him only to end up getting my butt slapped as he walked out.

"CYE! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" I bellowed, causing him to belt down the stairs at top speed. I chased him downstairs, where I found him attempting to hide behind Ryo. "Lame idiot," I said coldly. "Get out here or I'm going to slit your throat in your sleep."

"What'd I miss?" asked Sage, looking between us as if trying to locate where the missing puzzle piece was.

Cye snickered from behind Ryo, who looked cought between amusement and worry. "Oh yeah, real brave," I said. I crossed the room in three strides, grabbing him by the ear and dragging him out from behind Ryo. "How you guys _ever_ defeated Talpa is beyond me," I muttered. Cye yanked himself free but was stopped when I roundhouse kicked him, knocking him to the floor. A couple of moments later, I had him wrestled down, his arm stuck in a very painful position, his elbow sticking up and my other hand in a fist above it. "Start struggling and I'll knock it out of its socket," I threatened.

At the opportune moment, Kitty walked in. "Ah! Rebekah, what are you doing?"

I looked down at Cye. "Causing him pain, what else?"

"Get off him, before you-"

"Break his arm?" I asked, "I know, I'm well aware of what I was about to do if he tried to get away. It's only because he's a pervert and he's now my least favorite Ronin."

"Huh?" he squeaked from underneath me.

"That's right," I said. "Hey, you even made RYO move up, and that takes TALENT!" **Chapter Three**

Ryo got a moment of courage as he watched his teammate get overpowered by me, because he said, "Get off him."

"Uh oh, chica," Kitty pointed to the look on Ryo's face. "It looks like they're starting to grow a back bone. This might not be good for us."

"Ah, I was wondering when that would happen," I laughed. "Well, all good things must come to an end, I suppose." I stood up, thus releasing Cye from my grip

Kento laughs as Cye now stands, rubbing his offended arm. "Man, she's a girl," he hooks a thumb over in Rebekah's direction with a grin. "And she took you down; that's not good for the manly image.

Cye gave Kento a glare, showing how much he appreciated his friend's comment. "Shut it.."

I walked over and put an arm around Kento's shoulders. "That's because girls rock, right Kento?"

"Hell yeah girl," he agreed while offering his knuckles for the girl to bump with my own.

I grinned and did so. "Kudos to you, Ryo. I never thought you'd be able to string three words together, let alone be forceful."

Ryo grumbled in my general direction and said to Cye, "Are you alright?"

"Well enough," Cye said.

"Eh, he'll live," Kitty gave a cast off wave to the whole thing. Then with a huge smile, clasped her hands before her and said, "So... who's next Rebekah?"

I smirked and said, "Ryo gets to be my next victim for the 'five minutes' dare."

Kento gave Ryo the thumbs up; "Good luck bud."

Kitty patted his arm in sympathy; "You'll be fine." Then, as if another thought had hit her, reached up on her tip toes to whisper to him, "Just don't show fear and you'll be good."

I grinned. "Just think of it as walking up to a strange dog. They smell fear and they use it against you." I then grabbed Ryo's arm and dragged him upstairs, not giving him time to get ready for what he had to do. I pushed him into the room ahead of me and shut the door. "Stuck now!" I announced happily.

Kento shook his head sadly before turning to head into what he hoped was the kitchen. "He's so dead." He left Rowen sitting with his head in one of Mary's textbooks, completely oblivious to everything.

Ryo shook his head and walked up the bookshelves, looking at my selection of novels, reference books, how-to manuels, and odds and ends. "What are you doing?" I asked, walking over, just to see him pull down the book on swords. "Careful, you'll hurt yourself on that," I said with a smirk.

"Shut up for five minutes, grant me that," he muttered.

"Hey! That isn't nice! And besides, if I did, you'd be able to prowl around my room all you wanted until you could leave."

"Exactly. No smart comments that would inevitably piss me off."

I snorted. "You sound exactly like my brother used to."

"What do you mean used to?" he didn't turn around to look, he had moved on to the jewelry chest, opening the drawers and doors, looking at my stuff.

"Would you get out of that?" I demanded, grabbing him by the back of his neck, pressing my fingers into the pressure points that assured cooperation.

"Ow!" he whined. "Let go!"

"Nevermind," I said with a roll of my eyes. "You remind me more of my little brother."

"What the heck are you looking for, anyway?" I demanded, incensed with his continued rummaging.

"Evidence you're a girl for one," he muttered.

"Funny, your friend Cye noticed I was," I said crossly.

Ryo allowed my toolbox to shut, looking at me curiously. "What did he do anyway?"

"I won't tell you unless you promise to stay out of my stuff."

"Eh, I'll just ask him when this dumb thing is over," he said, turning back to the before mentioned box, which contained plenty of pricey art supplies that I didn't want his bear paws destroying.

"You think he'll talk?" I grinned. "Considering how scared of me he is?"

Ryo considered this. "You're probably right. All right, I'll stay out of your stuff, you tell me what he did."

"He slapped my ass," I said primly.

"And for that you chased him downstairs and almost broke his arm?" asked Ryo, eyebrows raised.

I sneered, "I've gotten enough disrespect to last a lifetime and I stick up for myself now, thank you very much."

"All right, all right, sheesh. You really do remind me of Sage, albeit a talkative one."

"HEY!" I yelled. "Who taught you your manners? A poo flinging primate?" I looked at my watch. "Oh thank God. Get out of my room!"

Ryo smirked and nodded, leaving calmly. Just because I was still pissed, I kicked him in the ass as he walked out. "Bloody hell, woman," he said, regaining his balance.

"Be careful or I'll send you there," I promised evilly.

Kento beats cheeks back into the other room now as he hears noises from upstairs. Hiding the food he says, "So how was it Ryo? You're... still in one piece."

Ryo smirks, "I've got a few bruises, that's all."

"He's an asshole!" I declared, coming down the stairs three at a time. "He reminds me more and more of a nosey little brother that got taller than you and learned too much about life."

"Hey now," Kitty said with a frown. "He's NOTHING like Justin. Ew, not even close."

"No, he's fortunate enough that he bathes frequently enough that he doesn't smell like a rotting corpse and that he's actually fair of face. If he wasn't, he'd have been gelded way before this."

"Now, that's not a good thing to have done, Ryo," Kitty said to the confused look on his face.

I looked over and spied Rowen, head in one of Mary's college textbook, apparently oblivious to everything going on around him. I sighed and said, "Hey, Rowen!" Rowen holds one finger up, not bothering to take his face out of the book.

"Now see, this is how you gotta do it," Kento walked over and promptly yanked the book away from the man.

Rowen blinked, hands still where they had been while holding the book and then glares at the one who'd perpetrated the crime. "Give that back Kento!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Bloody hell, he's even worse than me. I didn't know that was possible."

Rowen stood and reaches for the book, only to have Kento move it out of his reach. Kento flipped through the pages, oblivious to Rowen's angered glare. "How do you read this thing?" he asked. "There's no pictures."

I snorted and took it away from Kento. "Give it here before you damage it, it's a college textbook, have any idea how pricey these things are?" I stuck it on the shelf and pried another out of Rowen's hands who had just selected a new one. I grabbed his wrist and pulled him away from the bookshelves, dragging him out of reach of them. "Come on you, it's your turn."

"Turn?" he asked with a raised brow. "Turn for what exactly?"

"Bye, bye Rowen!" Kitty says, smiling

"Your turn for five minutes alone with yours truly," I said, now that she'd finally gotten his attention. "If your masculinity can withstand that kind of turmoil, we'd all be greatly appreciative if you'd walk in the general direction of the staircase. If you don't comply, I will use force."

"Alright, alright, I'm moving," he said quickly before making for the stairs. The last thing he needed was a Cye incident.

Kento waved off in his direction, "See ya blue boy."

I grinned at his quick acquiescence. "Good boy!" I praised and followed him up.

I directed him to my room and as with all the others before, I shut the door. He had naturally, immediately gravitated for my book selection. "Hey! None of that!" I said, quick to block his path. At his questioning look, I said, "If you stay up here for several hours instead of five minutes, rumors will start..."

"Right," he turned on his heel and headed away from the books now. To keep himself occupied, Rowen began to look around the rest of the room. "So what do you have planned for me?"

I rolled my eyes and shrugged. "I don't know. I just got dared to be alone with you for five minutes. No one said I had to do anything to you, be it good or bad. ...Though Mary did hint at the bad," I added thoughtfully.

"What did Ryo do that you gave him a few bruises?" he asked out of curiosity. "And why did he get away with just that?"

"He was shoving his nose into everything I owned," I commented coolly. "He got kicked in the ass because he was a smart ass the whole time. I also did find a few pressure points to remind him existed on his body, but aside from that, he escaped major physical harm..."

Rowen nodded his head thoughtfully at that. "So what are the odds of my walking away unharmed?"

"Ah, how violent do you think I am?" I teased. "Those two offended my honor. You're unlikely to do that."

"Good news for me," he said while crossing his arms over his chest with a smirk. "How much longer do I have?"

I looked at my watch, "Four minutes. You're a lot less entertaining though, I admit."

Rowen held his hands up innocently; "Sorry that I don't go snooping around in other people's belongings or give you some reason to attack me."

I grinned "Hey, no offense. You're nice, I can handle you. You might escape the week ungelded... presuming you now know what that means, having been in Mary's textbooks for so long." I smirked at him.

"I have an idea, thank you," he grimaced at the mentioned word. "And I'm positive that I don't want to have that done."

"Aww," I laughed at his horror. "No? Ok, we'll just sacrifice Ryo."

"You know," a pondering expression fell over his face now. "Somehow I don't think he would really mind that."

Raising an eyebrow, I was forced to say, "You're kidding me, right?" Then I shook my head. "Never mind, I don't want to know. If he really is that... unique... I think I want nothing to do with it."

Rowen laughed, "Unique? That's definitely a good way of putting it." He plopped down on my bed now and stretched out, still chuckling some. "What's the time now?"

I looked at my watch again. "Two minutes to freedom." I walked over and pulled out my drawing pad, bored out mind.

"What are you drawing?" he sat up now to peer over at what I was doing.

"At this point, I have no clue," I responded calmly, my charcoal hovering above the clean sheet of paper. "I've got a graphic novel I'm procrastinating on... I ought to work on that instead." I sighed and put the charcoal away, removing instead a much favored lead pencil.

"Graphic novel?" he arched one brow at that. "Funny, you don't strike me as that kind of person."

I looked up with a grin, "Look not at the body, but at the soul, for it lays bare all things," I quoted an old proverb. "Besides, it wasn't originally my idea, Nii-san put it into my head... and wouldn't let it drop. I guess I'm doing it to make him happy."

"This brother of yours... you look up to him, do you?"

I nodded, still staring at the blank page. I glanced at my watch again and stood up. I walked over to the door, "Time's up," I said with a grin and opened it. "You're free to go."

Rowen rubbed his hands together while walking out of the room. "Yes, I made it through that without being given any bruises."

I grinned as I followed him down. "The others could learn something from you. Well, they won't, but they _could_... provided they were interested in self-preservation."

"I wouldn't count on it," he held his hand to his mouth and whispered to me, "I personally think that at least one out of the five of us should be on suicide watch." With that said, he very inconspicuously raised his arms, pointing to Ryo with his elbow

"Ah, ok," I said, frowning slightly. "Been there, done that," I muttered.

"Blue boy!" Kento called loudly now while snagging the man around the neck. "You lived I see."

"Too bad I did just have you kill me," he squeaked out around the arm that was cutting off his air supply

I smirked and tapped on Kento's shoulder. The man let Rowen go now and turned a grinning face on the me. "My turn?" he pointed to himself. Rowen rubbed at his neck while sauntering off, probably back to the textbooks.

I nodded and said, "Yes and I'm warning you now, no food in my room."

Kento's face went oddly innocent. "What makes you think I have food?"

"The fact that you've got one hand behind your back and I'm not deaf, meaning I can hear the bag crinkling," I said boredly.

He stood there, contemplating his options for a few seconds, before sighing and producing the bag of chips. "Darn it," he grumbles and then folds the bag closed before throwing it football style at Ryo's head, grinning at the glare and growl it earned him.

I smile and allow him past, "Come on, your turn for torture, baka shonen." (silly boy)

Kento tried to act intimidated by me while heading into my room. "This is it? The big bad room itself?" he clicks his tongue while looking around. "I was... expecting something else."

I raised my brow. "Like what? Black curtains and walls, torture implements, and splats of dried blood for the added effect? Tell me about, Cye was convinced I wanted his spleen." I looked around my room that was white walled, tidy except for occasional tidbits like pencils that hadn't been put away. My bed comforter that had whales on it seemed oddly cheerful.

He snorted at that, "Well, I wasn't thinking it was going to be all girlie and pink with flowers and junk."

My eyes went wide and I said, "Excuse me? Pink and flowery? I hate pink! I'm more likely to have photos of old motorcycles and dilapidated buildings than I am anything floral," I added, shuddering with distaste. I walked over and again plopped down in front of my drawing pad. This cannot be ignored forever, I thought in annoyance. I never seemed able to concentrate on it when I sat down to do it.

"Yeah, alright then," he mumbled before flopping down on my bed, propping his chin his upturned palms. He watched me sitting there with pencil and pad in hand before asking, "So what are you supposed to be doing with those things?"

I gave him an annoyed glance and began sketching out scenes, feeling chagrined at his comment. I muttered only, "Graphic novel."

Kento nodded his head, pretending he understood what she meant by that. Then, curious, he leans over to see what she was drawing. "What's that?" he asks while pointing at the pad.

It took a moment for me to even realize he spoke. "What? Oh, that? She's a neko, half woman half cat. I have to draw her kicking the shit out of this guy."

"So who's the guy? And how come she's kicking the shit outta him?" he further prodded information out of me.

I sighed and said, "His name is Paladin, he's the warlord of the country she's trespassed into. He's been having her followed and she got tired of it, so she's going to mop the floor with him." I didn't look up from my art, just kept adding lines and defining the picture, before moving on to the next scene box.

Kento was quiet for a moment before saying, "So is this like a comic?"

This managed to get my attention and I looked up at him. "Yes, a graphic novel is a comic, except it is in book form."

"Right, got cha," he nodded his head.

I grinned and shook my head, returning my gaze to the sketchpad. "You're really something."

He cocked a brow at this, not completely sure if he was being made fun of or not. "Really something..." Kento prompted.

"Meaning you're a goofball, probably the reason you're my favorite Ronin." I froze. _I said that out loud, didn't I? Oh God,_ I thought, covering my face in embarrassment. _Let all Hell break loose now._

A huge grin slid across Kento's face now. "Oh, so I'm your favorite huh?" He chuckled before patting me on the back. "S'okay, better me than... Sage, I guess."

"Uungh," I groaned into my hands. "I don't get why everybody thinks he's so great. He's a _prick_!"

Kento rolled over onto his back, laughing loudly at that. "Finally!" he wipes a tear from his face. "I was beginning to think I was the only one who thought that."

I let my hair down and made my face emotionless, glaring at him through my one visible eye. "Shut up and quit acting stupid, Kento," I said in a monotone.

This only proceeded to throw him into another laughing fit. "Stop," he said while shaking a hand at me. "You got him dead on girl."

I smirked and hauled my hair back into its ponytail that it resisted being part of. "I couldn't resist. I love to imitate people, especially if it gets a reaction like that."

"That's almost scary how close you come to him though," he said, now while sitting up and throwing his legs over the side of my bed.

I stood up and stretched before glancing at my watch. "Eh, time's up. Now I have to put up with Stick-In-The-Mud himself."

"Eh," he climbed to his feet and snagged me around the shoulders. "I think you'll be fine. Just do that impression and he'll love it."

"You mean, he'll love it when he can leave?" I asked, grinning myself. There was a reason I liked Kento best, and it wasn't his looks... Though I admit he certainly isn't ugly.

"Ah," he scratched at the back of his head. "Yeah, that too."

I laughed and walked out ahead of him, trotting down the stairs at a fast pace. "Hurry up or I'll kick your ass," I yelled up at Kento, smirking as he hurried on down.

"Hey now," Kento crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Ryo. "Where're my chips at?"

Ryo smirked at him and pointed at his gut. "They went in the tank. Consider it payback for getting us lost."

"Yeah, well who gave me the map?" he threw back at him.

"Who said he could handle it when Rowen wanted it?" sparred Ryo.

"Who's the genius who let me actually handle it?"

Ryo scowled. Sage inserted here, "You're both morons."

Kento points at Ryo; "He's a bigger moron."

"Enough, children," I intervened, standing between the two of them with my arms spread like a referee. "If you're going to fight, take it outside. Now, can you get along long enough for me to drag Sage to his doom?"

Ryo sneered, "We got along before you came into the picture."

I raised my eyebrow. "Wow, PMSing much?"

Kento burst into laughter, leaning over to grasp his knees, at not only the comment, but the blank look on Ryo's face. Kitty shook her head at the two; "Would you guys leave him alone already?"

"Tell him not to take his issues out on me," I said. "I've been dealing with girl problems my whole life. Just because he's been recently introduced doesn't mean I want to hear about it."

This only prompted Kento to laugh more. "Fine then," Kitty said, desperately trying to hide the smile on her face. "Come on Ryo, you can help me get the secret stash of sweets down from the kitchen."

I sniggered and then turned on Sage. "Come on, Oh Original Emo, it's time for your personalized 'Five Minutes in Hell.'" I ushered the glaring Sage up the staircase. Then that was it, I was alone with him. For some reason, that made me slightly nervous. _Just goes to show,_ I thought. The silent ones are the ones you've really got to watch out for. I spoke if only to break the silence, "Yes, its my room. No, I do not kill people in here. No, I don't care what you think of it and quite frankly, if you touch anything, I'll break your fingers."

Sage looked back at me, raising the only visible eyebrow. _God only knows if he raised both, who can see them? _I snickered at the thought, but quickly wiped the smile off my face.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

I smiled. "I was just imagining you with two eyebrows instead of one."

He wrinkled his nose, the most expression I've seen on him to date. "I have two eyebrows."

"So you tell me," I said. "However, your hair leads me to wonder what you're hiding. So... maybe you accidentally shaved it off as a kid and it didn't grow back?"

Sage looked to be contemplating my sanity. "Why the hell would such a thing enter your head?" he asked.

I put my hands behind my back and said, "What? Surprised I'm not spending more time in awe of your presence?" He scowled and stuck his hands into his pockets, turning his gaze to the window. "I'll take that as a 'yes.'" I commented, pleased with his reaction.

"No," he said flatly. "Can't you stop being annoying for... for thirty seconds?"

"Funny, Ryo made a similar comment..." I mumbled. "But the real question is, what would you do if I went quiet, acted pissed, and retreated beneath my headphones?"

"Count my blessings," he mumbled.

"Boy you really are a dud," I said. "tsk, tsk, tsk, if you can't recognize the most basic signs of depression, how do you expect to keep a certain someone from ending in a grisly suicide?"

He looked up. "What do you know about that?"

I sat down on the bed, crossing my legs indian style. "Here's how it goes: I've been under the hold of manic depression and post traumatic stress disorder for seven years. I

escaped by the skin of my teeth, literally dragged back from death by my brother and my friend, Mary. I'm not being dramatic, look." I pushed up my sleeve, showing wide and long shiny scar marks on my arms. "Now when I talk to some of my friends and tell them I'm having fun, they ask and make sure it isn't with 'pointy objects.'" I frowned up at him. "Dude, I can tell when something isn't right."

He looked at me, for the first time seeming to be taking me seriously. "So what do you want me to do?"

I said calmly, "Everyone's different. You know him better than I do."

"So you're telling me I'm on my own?"

"Not necessarily. You've got three others besides him, talk to Rowen for pity's sake."

Sage's eye narrowed. "Oh, that's it. You were talking to him, he put this idea into your head."

I snorted. "Barely. That was the most boring five minutes of my life. At any rate, you've got more than yourself and a mess. You're a big boy, deal with it." I shooed off further questions on the subject.

Sage looked at me oddly. "You act like a retard and yet you've got a past on you. You're an odd one."

I looked down and said, "No. Just doing what I have to. Dwelling on what evil was done to me does not heal it."

"So what is your past?" he asked, curiosity overcoming his ritual of being sparse with words.

I looked at my watch. "Whoops, too bad, your five minutes are up." I opened the door and walked out, quick to escape further probing.

"Hold still Kento!" Kitty was laughingly saying now while trying to aim an m&m into his mouth.

Kento stood still, slightly crouched, with mouth open wide and pointed to his target.

I walked in to see this and my eyes widened. "Kitty," I said lowly. "You're feeding them... sugar?"

"Yeah! It's great, watch this," she said, dug down into the m&m bag and then came back with a few in her hand. She pelted a few at the unsuspecting Rowen before laughing and Kento waved his hands to get her attention. "Over here!"

"Oh dear God," I muttered, putting a hand to my forehead. I could feel the impending migraine pounding its tattoo against my skull.

I edged my way through the crowd, to the medicine cabinet where I grabbed the painkiller I needed. I loosened my ponytail to ease the stress on the back of my head and went to locate something to swallow the ruddy pill with - not an easy task amidst flying candy. I was relieved when Mary came in. "Good, someone besides me can get them back into line," I muttered. I took my water bottle and tossed the pill down, before picking up a few stray M&M's and pelting them at Kitty, hitting her in the cheek, and a few getting stuck in her hair. "Whoops," I muttered. "Sowwy!"

"Oh now you're gonna get it," she says with an evil little smirk before digging down into the bag and coming back with a handful, throwing them all at me at once.

I ducked and splashed water onto the floor, only getting hit by a few. Getting my hand wet, I flicked her with cold water, grinning evilly.

"Ooh, chick fight," Kento exclaimed, now completely forgetting about the candy.

"Forget it idiot," she says and throws a few more at him. "Not gonna happen."

"Yeah, really," I grinned and dumped some of my water on his head. "Cool it, or I'll do an impression of you!"

Mary cleared her throat, drawing everyone's attention to her. "Who is responsible for the mess?" she asked in a sickeningly sweet voice, though her hands were clenching.

Kitty pointed at Kento and Ryo who pointed back at her. "Point being, you two get to clean it up!" she snapped.

"Woah, scary chick," commented Cye, looking at her with wide eyes.

I walked over and put an elbow on Mary's shoulder and smirked at him. "We're practically sisters, that's why."

Fifteen minutes later and Mary and I were in the main room of our house, notebooks in hand and our heads together. It was a common thing for us, perhaps an oddity for anyone who didn't know us. We had decided it safer to stay downstairs and write, if only to keep everyone else from setting the house on fire. I was perched on my bean bag, twirling my pen in my hand, contemplating the next scene to write, unconsciously chewing on my lip. Mary and I were strategically positioned directly beside the heater, toes and fingers nearest to keep ourselves from becoming victims of frostbite. It didn't matter how warmly I dressed, I remained cold anyway.

I heard Rowen come zipping through the room, emitting some kind of high pitched laugh and a squawking Kento close behind him. I closed my eyes and shook my head. _Oh, the joys of Ronin Warriors, high on SUGAR!_ Kitty had received strict orders that there was to be no more of that. Suddenly I found myself being lifted up and it happened so fast that I dropped my pen and notebook, thus freeing myself to slam my elbows into the gut of the offender. I was dropped with a grunt and I whirled around, wide eyed to stare at Ryo who'd decided to play a prank on me and ended up on the wrong side of my... elbows. I turned to stare at Mary who seemed to be struggling to contain her laughter. Jumping to my feet, I walked towards Ryo with my hands out, saying menacingly, "You're going to get it!" Then Cye darted up and caught me around the middle, lifting me off the ground. I crossed my arms and sulked at my predicament. _When I get let down..._ I thought. _I'm going to skin me some Ronin hides._ "Put me down, nuthead. Or _else_."

"Or else what?" he teased, still gripping me tightly.

"You're paying my hospital bill when you break a rib with that grip of yours," I stated matter-of-factly. I shouldn't have opened my mouth because what he did next was worse, as I got tossed into the air and caught bridal-style. My mouth was open, my eyes like saucers, and I was mentally reeling from what he'd done - as he smirked at me.

"Better?" he asked, grinning devilishly.

"I'm gonna _kill_ you," I promised, lifting up my hands and putting them around his throat. I was promptly dropped, to which I rolled over and leapt to my feet again. I found myself beside Ryo so I reached up and smacked the back of his head. "Dufus," I said. "You earned what you got." I thought for a minute as I noticed all the present Ronin were looking at me and asked, "How come Mary isn't getting tormented? Heck, why isn't _Kitty_ getting tormented?"

Kitty walked into the room having finished cleaning up the kitchen and doffed her shoes. All eyes turned to her and she asked innocently, "What?"

I smirked. "Hey Kitty?" I said.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"You want five guys all to yourself?"

"Uhh..." she blinked.

"Okay! They're yours! Have fun and don't let them bug me or they'll be GELDED WITHOUT ANESTHETIC!" I added ferociously for their benefit.

They blinked and backed away slowly, like I was going to follow through on my promise right then and there. Pretty soon Kitty was surrounded, still looking baffled at the ongoing events. "What exactly did they do this time?"

"They let their sugar high cloud their judgement," I said. "Ryo was dumb enough to wake me from my writing." I looked over at Mary and said, "How come _you_ don't get lifted bodily from what you were doing?"

Mary set down the notebook and then the pen on top of that, folded her hands before her and gave the Ronins a flat look. "Just _try_ it," she said.

"Uh, no thanks," said Kento.

I rapped my fingers on my arms as I stood defiantly facing this lot of idiots. "I see five reasons for birth control, right in front of me."

"Oooh," winced Kitty. "That was mean."

"Yeah, I thought you said you liked me best?" teased Kento.

I scowled as they smirked. "That's easily remedied. A couple of morons plus a very short temper equals five dead ronins and their hides in my tanning barrel."

"Do I have to get the knife?" asked Mary.

"I've already got it," I said, not taking my gaze away from the infidels.

"One girl against five strong men," said Kitty. "I think you might run into difficulties."

"Correction," I said. "Three strong girls against five wimpy Ronins, I think we won't have _any_ issue."

"HEY!" they chorused as one.

"That was uncalled for," said Rowen.

"I don't think so, but that's just me," commented Mary. "I'll shut up and go back to writing."

I said very slowly, as if I was speaking to retards, "I'm going to go back to writing now. If anyone of you interrupts me again, you won't escape with your... masculinity. Do I make myself clear?" I received nods as a response. "Good." I sat down again, pulling my notebook over and collecting my pen from where it had fallen.

Someone sat down beside me but I didn't look up, I blocked their presence from my mind as I sent my mind into the other world I had created. My hand hurried across the page, my cursive as loopy and awkward as ever. I was biting my lip, my fingers clenching the pen, far tighter than was actually necessary. My teeth had clenched and as I noticed none of this, the only thing I saw was the paper in front of me.

_They turned and crept on down the board walk towards the city, completely silent. They were just about to go around the corner of a building when someone reached out of the shadows and grabbed Serenai. Ordinarily, the offender would have found himself abruptly deprived of arms but for some reason, Serenai couldn't move. The reason soon revealed itself as she came to understand who had grabbed her. _

_"I thought cats didn't like getting wet," Sudame commented blandly. _

_Serenai growled and snapped, "What are you doing here?" _

_He peered down at her and said, "You know, I ought to ask you that question. This place nearly destroyed you. You're back for more?" _

_Serenai sneered, "What I do is my own business. Why do you keep intruding into it anyway?" _

_"Well, it becomes my business when I have to step in and save you before they cut you to ribbons." _

_"You? Save me? Let go, you stupid wad of cat barf!" Serenai's voice was rising as she got angrier and it would have risen more in the impending beratement, if Sudame hadn't planted a hand firmly over her mouth. _

_"There's something wrong with your eyes if you think I look like cat barf," smirked the face above her. "This handsome body does not look like cat barf." _

_He leered just a little too closely and Serenai wrenched free one hand, claws extended, preparing to _make_ him look like afore mentioned sick. However, both were interrupted when Toukon's naginata knocked them apart and the grumpy girl situated herself between them. "You two kids want to fight, do it when I've had enough sleep that I don't have to get pissed. Come on, before we get caught!" _

_Serenai and Sudame blinked in surprise at Toukon's entirely confident positions between the God of death and the God of darkness. She had marks under her eyes from not sleeping well and generally looked ready to mop the floor with someone. The normally even-tempered girl had shown a surprising display of wrath. Serenai shook herself and grabbed Toukon's arm, dragging her down the alley as fast as they could go. They had a lot of work to do and she wanted distance between herself and that fat head Sudame._

I handed it over to Mary to read and she set down her own notebook to glance over what I'd scribbled out. Laughing, she handed it back. She grinned and said, "I like it."

Smirking I nodded and took it back from her hands. I settled down to continue writing but I made the mistake of glancing to my side to see who was there. Rowen, for some reason, was watching me write. _Weirdo. This is about interesting as watching paint dry._Shaking my head, I returned to my notebook, my focus zeroing in on the unfortunate future victims in my story.

An hour later, I could feel my concentration slipping away as my inspiration reached the last dregs. Standing up I stretched and told Mary, "I'm going up. See you later." With that, I climbed the stairs, leaving behind the now half-asleep Ronin, their sugar rush having faded away. So ended day one with the Ronin, right? Not so fast.

"Hey!" I heard from behind me. I turned around just as a certain blue haired Ronin of Hardrock literally flew at me, yelling, "GLOMP!"

To put it nicely, I was flattened in a monstrosity of a hug. To be honest, though, I'm surprised I'm not dead. My older brother weighs a lot and he's a fricking stick figure, something Kento was NOT! Muscle weighs more than fat and he had plenty of THAT for certain, as he proceeded to pick up my bruised body off the floor.

"I think I'm dead now," I muttered, not opening my eyes, as my entire body racked in pain.

"Kento, you meanie," Kitty said, "You could have really hurt her!"

"And did," I muttered, wincing, putting a hand to my side. I hissed as he adjusted how he was holding me. "Put me down, you oaf," I said. He did so and I wobbled but maintained my balance by putting a hand to the wall. I shook my head and proceeded on up the stairs slowly. "For some reason, I don't think the world is supposed to spin," I muttered to myself, stopping for a moment.

"You idiot Kento," Rowen said, going up the stairs, "You probably gave her an effing concussion."

Kento looked worriedly at me as Rowen put a hand on my shoulder, to have me hiss in pain. "Is she okay?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm going to sleep," I muttered, continuing up the stairs.

"Wait," Rowen said, his vast medical knowledge coming to use as he said, "If you have a concussion, you can't go to sleep, you might go into a coma!"

"Coma?" I asked, looking at him. "Good. I'll get to sleep longer. Good night." I went up the stairs only to find myself plucked up and carried back down. I sulked, too sore and weary feeling to fight. "This is mighty irritating," I said.

"The point is that you can't go into a coma on us."

"Oh pfft," I said. "Overprotective idiot. You remind me of my brother more and more. Put me the hell down!"

"I'd say she's fine," commented Ryo, recieving a kick in the shin from Kitty watched in concern.

I was set down again on my beanbag and given strict orders not to succumb to my sleepiness. I scowled and said, "Alright, you're going to boss me around, go get me a bloody painkiller, before I go Serenai-No-Densetsu on your ass."

"Whuh?" asked Rowen, blinking.

"One of her characters," commented Mary, who knew me well enough to know that I was fine - just bruised. "She's really cool - so long as she isn't attacking you."

Rowen left the room and as soon as he did I made myself as comfortable as I could - which wasn't much - and settled down. I was already asleep when he came back in with Kitty, carrying a glass of water and the Alieve. "Wake up!" he said, shaking my shoulder. "Wake up, damnit!"

I opened one eye and glared at him. "Some day when I get a big mean boyfriend I'm going to send him to turn you into sushi."

He rolled his eyes and shoved the Alieve and water at me. "As if he could do anything to us."

"Big headed guys don't do anything for me, sorry," I commented dryly, swallowing the pill with a gulp of water as Rowen blinked.

Cye sniggered from somewhere and commented, "I'd say you don't have a chance, Rowen."

"And you think you do?" Kitty and Mary chorused, then looking at each other in amusement.

He looked surprised, "What? I'm a great catch!"

"Speaking of big headedness," muttered Rowen, returning to the bookshelves.

"And we're talking about the girl who never got hit by hormones," added Kitty. "I mean, yeah, she developed physically but- what are you sniggering at?" she demanded.

I laid my head back and groaned. "If I get one more 'nice rack' comment, someone will be dead before they can blink twice." They started laughing their heads off and I scowled at them. "What? I got told that before! Three times in a row in fact!"

"You never told me that!" said Kitty, hands on hips.

I shrugged. "There have been plenty of perverts, I generally ignore them."

"You said you'd never even been looked at though!"

"Uh huh, in real life. Internet doesn't count."

"Why not?"

I groaned and said, "Must we get into this _now_? And in front of _them_?"

Kitty rolled her eyes. "Prude."

"And proud of it," I mumbled, closing eyes and getting comfortable, preparing to drift back off to sleep.

"Hey, none of that!" Rowen said, apparently having eyes on the back of his head.

"Shut the fuck up," I grumbled, not moving.

I was instantly hoisted to my feet, causing my head to spin. I opened my eyes and glared at whoever had done it - turning out to be Kento. I opened my mouth, but he beat me to the punch. "Don't do it," he threatened. "I'm not going to let you." I pouted. I rarely do it, but this occasion called for it, especially since I've been told that guys fall for that. Must have been a lie, it didn't do a thing. So I just sulked.

I was eventually released, however, much to my relief. I bopped Rowen on the head, just for good measure, gave Kento a once-in-a-lifetime hug just to assure him there were no hard feelings, and went up to bed.

Mary yelled something but I didn't catch it. I was asleep on my feet even as I dragged my way upstairs. I would later find out that it was, "Lock your door!" And oh my God, I wish I'd heard her.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four** I woke up comfortably warm and cozy, not really wanting to open my eyes and wake up. Unfortunately, I recalled the five troublemakers that had crashlanded in our driveway yesterday and knew that sleeping in wasn't an option - we had to make sure they didn't destroy anything. I opened my eyes and went to get up and found myself anchored down by something _really_ heavy. I looked over and shrieked, jumping out of the bed like it had hotcoals. "Kento!" I yelled, effectively waking him up. He grumbled and opened his eyes, just in time to get hit in the head with the first thing I found - my horse encyclopedia. "You idiot! You can't sleep in here!"

"Huh? What's that?" Kento blearily inquired, picking himself up off the floor and staring around, "Where the hell am I?" Yeah the Ronins were not kind enough to disclose the fact that Kento was a sleepwalker.

I opened and closed my mouth, processing this slowly, as I'd just gotten awoken in a rather rude manner - though not as rude as Kento's. "Get out! Out, out, out, OUT!"

"Kay, kay kay Geez," Kento grumbled in complaint, "Girl you act like you've never seen a guy befo--" Kento got shoved out of the room, with a door slammed right behind his butt.

I got dressed quickly, still pissed as hell. I went over and hammered on Mary's door. "Get outta bed and help me murder Kento!"

A head poked out, and Ryo loosely shrugged his shoulders, "She left thirty minutes ago, said something about puppy, horses, and finding where she put the metal weeder she had..." He smirked a little, "Why, what he do?"

"Ah, _SHIT!" _I swore, slamming the door shut and pounding my way down the stairs

Ryo rubbed at his nose, "Dam that hurt." He turned to look at the figure in the bed, "Now come on Blaze, you have to leave sometime." White Blaze and Missy were contently curled up together; Ryo's pleas went on ignored

I stormed past the other Ronin, hearing Rowen comment, "Someone isn't a morning person..." I snarled at him and shoved Cye out of my way, walking out the door to find Mary. Yes, it was news that Rowen was up before 11am...But with the time difference at all, no one should have been surprised...He kept glancing at Kento who simply shrugged

"Look Fuzzy," Mary drawled out to someone, "Why are you shadowing me? You have four perfectly good, annoying, friends that you can bother. Or are you hiding from Kitty?" she asked in a too cheerful tone.

I ran down to the field, climbing over the gate because I couldn't be bothered to open it, and walked around the corner to find Mary. "Hey, you've got to come with me, we need to hang Kento."

"Uh oh, you didn't lock your door did you?" Mary arched an eyebrow, "I told you to lock it for a reason. He sleepwalks." She ignored the blinking she got from Sage, "Save it nightlight boy, I'll tell ya later maybe."

I looked at Sage and said, "You sleep with a _nightlight_?"

"He doesn't per se, he just happens to have a light outsaide his window," Mary cut overtop of Sage, who could only helplessly stare at this point

"Oooookay," I said, with a weirded out expression. I turned to Mary and said, "Why was Ryo in your room?"

"Oh he's been trying to get Blaze out of there," Mary smirked, "See I got followed to bed last night by this really handsome kitty. I also made sure to lock my door to prevent any perverts number one," she seemed to glance up to the house, "And sleepwalkers." She turned her attention back to me, and jerked her thumb at Sage, "I know this one gets up at the crack of dawn to go out and meditate, and figured I better get up before he did. The neighbors across the way have plenty of daughters...So, I brought Magnum down, he launched himself onto Ryo and thus began the Wildfire Ronin's futile attempts to remove the tiger from my room."

I smirked. "So you _did_ let Magnum on him, just like you've been threatening? You should have gotten me up, I wanted to see that!"

"No worries, I'll let him have at again later," Mary promised, snorting out, "Just be careful about telling Kitty. Saying that Ryo is in MY room, and Sage has been shadowing me almost all morning...Well, it won't end well...For either of them." She took pause, and eyed the blonde swordsman, "On second thought, what do I care? Nevermind." Sage paled

I laughed. "You're sick. Well, actually, I haven't seen her yet. I figured she was with Ryo, but Ryo's in your room and if Sage is here than... where is she?" I thought for a minute, but shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I've got a ronin's skin to tan." I turned around and jogged back to the house

"Aren't you going to do anything?" Mary asked Sage who actually shrugged. "Eek, you are capable of actual response? Houston their might be life in there yet!"

Sage just glared.

"S'kay Seiji we love you anyway," Mary patted him on the shoulder and went about completing her morning chores

I opened up the door, walking in and taking off my coat as I shut the door. I looked around at the others, "Where is Kento?" I asked in a very fakely sweet voice?"

Rowen barely bothered to glance up from the college textbook he was reading, "Do you have to ask that question? Seeing as how you know so much about us?"

"Next time I see him he is _so _dead," I said in way of response, walking over to the computer.

"Uh oh, Cye I told you to at least lock him in the bathroom or something," Rowen commented flipping a page in the book. Grief? Didn't the man do anything other than read?

Cye looked at Rowen. "Just so long as she isn't after me, I don't care."

"Ahh the wonderful joys of comraderie, feel the love," Rowen snorted rolling his eyes, "How did we defeat our opponents again? Beginner's luck?"

"Stop bickering, or I'll play Marilyn Manson at high volume," I threatened from my computer.

Rowen gave a snort, "You want to hear bickering? Listen to Mother Cye and Mother Sage sometime." He waved her off

"Mothers? You mean the kind of mother that drowns her infant in the bath water?" I asked, looking over with my eyebrow raised.

Rowen let out a chuckle and Cye's eyes were twitching, "Oh no, the ones that smother you with love kind of mothers. HEY!" He ducked from whatever Cye had thrown at him

I walked over and whacked them both upside the head. "You've both got enough love in you to choke God to death."

Rowen gave an indifferent shrug and went back to reading the textbook, Cye just continued to glare at the archer. Ya, they really adored one another, can't ya tell?

I snorted and kicked Rowen in the ribs.

"OW!" Rowen whined in complaint, he snorted in irritation, "Stop acting like Sage, you're creeping me out."

"I don't like being ignored," I said.

"Neither does Ryo," he responded rolling his eyes, "Sage would love nothing more than to BECOME the wall."

"Love the wall, think like the wall, _BE _the wall," I said, smirking.

Rowen snorted in laughter, "You got it!" THWACK "OWWWW!" Rowen yelped.

Sage had come in, heard the comments and dropped about 3 of Mary's 500 page textbooks on Rowen's head, "Talking about me again?"

I looked at Sage and smirked, my hair falling over one eye. I said in a cold tone of voice, "Shut up and go away."

"You first buttercup," the swordsman smoothly replied, picking up the projectiles he used and putting them back; he then walked out of the room

Rowen's mouth stood agap, "HE TALKED!"

I gave a bow, saying, "With me, all things are possible."

"Damn, come visit us in Japan sometime," Rowen commented, shook his now sore head and went back to reading

Cye let out a low moan, as he continued to 'tidy' up the downstairs

I looked over at Cye. "What are you, the maid?"

"Anal," the Torrent Ronin tossed out, "Plus we did make most of the mess. Comes from spending time at Mia's...Kinda second nature."

"First nature, since his Mom is sick, and his sister moved out," Mary chimed in

I snorted and began laughing. "That was brought to you by the Ronin Encyclopedia on Legs."

"Mhm, quiz me sometime," Mary beamed, smacking at Cye, "Now shoo, you're not the maid. Go find something constructive to do with your time. Like pulling your leader oput of my room before I end up cleaning blood off my walls."

"Blaze'd never hurt him," Cye said with a snort.

"Ya and Missy would," Mary retorted Cye got the hint and departed

I grinned and said, "Kitty must be in the kitchen with Kento. The voices in my head are telling me that we'll have to do grocery shopping every day, between him and Justin."

"And Rowen," Sage offered up, rolling his one eye, "He can eat just as much as Kento, when he wants to." Rowen flipped Sage off, Sage gave a snort, "Sorry, not interested." Rowen put down his book and just stared blankly at the swordsman

I turned my eyes to the two and commented, "If you're going to jump on each other, go elsewhere please."

"EHH?" Rowen screeched.

Sage gave a snort, "So sorry madame, come on Ro!"

"WHAT?" Rowen actually jumped up and backed away from Sage, who was so very close to laughing. "You're acting weird, I'm outta here!" The archer quickly departed. Sage sniggered, picked up the book his friend had discarded and began to read it.

I couldn't help the evil grin that spread across my face. "He's more like me than I thought," I said to Mary, jerking a thumb in his direction.

Mary gave a grin, "See, you could be Satsuki!"

"One is more than enough," Sage commented with a snort.

"What you being human for, anyway?" Mary queried, "Normally..."

"Since you seem to know so much, you should know I am TIRED," the swordsman commented giving her a pointed look, "I can't be as guarded when I'm tired."

"Ah, and hate to tell you but the evil-Sage-glare doesn't work, dude, sorry," Mary said plopping down in the chair

I added to her comment, "She's too happy that she gets to torture you guys in real life."

"Damn straight," Mary chimed.

"Wonderful," Sage snorted

I turned and looked towards the house. "Ah, here comes the orange idiot now. Should I kill him now or let him think he's on easy street?"

"Easy street," Sage said exactly as Mary said it.

"Wow...Freaky," Mary mused, "I guess there was a good reason writing from your pov was so easy. Hmmm." Sage tilted his head, revealed both eyes and rolled them skyward.

I smirked and nodded. "I agree. Let him wonder when the next shoe will drop." I walked over to the computer again and put in my headphones, turning my eyes to the screen.

Kento came in, and took pause, "Woah, when did Rowen give up his reading spot?"

Sage shrugged, "When I felt like weirding him out." He seemed to peer around Kento, asking almost apprehensively, "Where's Kitty?" Mary clamped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing

I held up a hand and pointed towards the door, not looking away the screen. "The voices in my head say she's on her way. Don't bother getting up," I added, feeling Sage prepare to leave. "She's already seen you."

"Kuso," Sage grumbled out and Mary did laugh.

Kento simply shrugged, he didn't see what Sage and Ryo had a problem with...He was lucky though.

I whistled to myself as I listened to music I was playing as I typed up what I'd written in my notebook the previous evening, ignoring Sage's all-too obvious discomfort as the door busted open and Kitty popped in with a cheerful, "Good morning Sage!"

"Please note that everyone else in the room could be chopped liver," I said with a grin, really to no one but myself.

"Meh, I always though of myself more along the lines of a very fine swiss cheese," Mary admitted

"Ew," I said, wrinkling my nose. "That stuff is GROSS!"

"I know," Mary beamed

Kento blinked, "You know, there's something wrong with YOU. She and Kitty are normal."

"Why Kento, that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me!" Mary did not seem offended

"Yeah, you're flipped," Kento mumbled

"Oh, tell me he wasn't dumb enough to call me normal," I said to Mary. "Please tell me he isn't ACTUALLY that unperceptive."

"Nah, I was generalizing," Kento commented, "Compared to her you two seem normal. Not like there's any such thing as a norm; look at the five of us." "The only one Kitty's interested in looking at is Date Seiji," Mary snorted out, pointing a thumb to a very uncomfortable swordsman and all-too-pleased Kitty

I sniggered and lifted up my camera that was on the desk, all ready to go. Turning it on, I said, "Sage, Kitty, smile!" They looked over just in time to be blinded by my flash.

Sage's eye was now twitching; she did NOT just do that! "Yes she did," Mary seemed to know what he was thinking, "And I have pictures of all ya'lls especially some embarassing ones." She smiled, pausing to think, "Cye and Ryo haven't come back yet, and I think Rowen might have joined them...Hmmm..." A devious smile played her lips as she walked over to me, "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

I looked up. "Depends. Watcha thinkin? If its evil, then, yeah, I probably am."

"Evil," Mary nodded

"Ok, tell me your plan." I grinned, ignoring the worried looks we were getting from Kento and Sage

"Ohh not much," she leaned in and whispered something. Apparently she wanted to try and see if it were possible to take a page of TGOL and make it happen; in other words get all five Ronin in the room to try and remove the tiger and then take pictures

I nodded and said, "Lets do it."

"Yay," Mary seemed rather cheerful, before becoming serious, "Guys, I have a dillema, Blaze is on my bed and absolutely refusing to vacate my room. Think you can help your brothers-in-arms out?"

Kento gave a snort, "Yeah, no problem."

Sage slowly got up, put the book away and stopped to look, "You two are up to evil; I KNOW it." He too departed up the stairs

I looked at Mary. "Just so long as he doesn't share his intuition with anyone else, we're fine."

"Oh he won't," Mary assured, grinning, "Sage actually does have a sense of humor. It's buried deep, and a little off-the-wall, but it does exist."

I whistled lowly. "Coulda fooled me. Do I need my camera?"

"Yessum! More the merrier, pun was not intentional," She added, "Come on Kitty, we're going to have some fun."

I picked it up and followed Mary up the stairs, Kitty behind me, I smirked anticipating disaster.

Mary paused and then quietly opened the door; oh boy talk about chaos! Four grown men trying to pull a tiger off a full-size bed. Sage was merely watching them with a smirk; Missy having curled up in his lap, purring like crazy

"Your cat's a slut," I muttered to Mary.

"It fits, Eclipse is a whore, Noel is a tramp," Mary counted off, "Ya, it fits."

"And you and I are going to be old maids, so I guess we more than make up for it," I snickered.

Kitty interjected, "No, you won't! I'm not gonna letcha!" "Ya," Mary nodded and began snapping pictures; first one of course was of Sage holding the kitten; proof that Sage was a cat person. The second was Ryo trying to pull White blaze off the bed with Rowen behind him, pulling on Ryo's middle.

"The shounen ai crowd would DIE," Mary commented taking more photos

"I have no doubt," I commented, smirking like crazy. I took a photo of Kento as he tried to lift the tiger off the bed, his face red with effort.

Cye, well Cye was trying to 'help' Kento...Yeah, that one was good for laughs. Sage finally stood up, after Missy had left his lap. He gave a bored expression, "Blaze, come on, let's get you something to eat." The tiger stood up, shook the four other Ronin off of him and followed Sage out the door...Cye, Rowen, Ryo and Kento landed in an interesting heap and snap went the camera.

I tried hopelessly to contain my laughter and took another photo of them trying to get up, their faces panicked at our presence and the cough devices of doom cough cameras.

Mary just sniggered and put her camera away, "You boys enjoy, we'll wait outside."

I couldn't breathe I was laughing so hard as we shut the door on them and went back downstairs, high fiving each other as we went

"Talk about aw-" Mary paused as she heard something, and her eyes widened Sage was laughing! Course the minute he heard footsteps, he quieted

"Now I wish I had an audio recorder," I muttered. "No one's gonna believe that one."

Mary looked back up to Kitty who had a dreamy look on her face, "She will, that's all that matters."

I nodded and grinned, before doing something I knew would annoy the hell out of Sage (an irristible thought...) I ran over and jumped onto his back, yelling, "Piggy back ride!"

Sage floundered, "AHH!" He managed to catch his balance, "Little warning next time!"

I smirked. "Nah, that'd take the fun out of it."

Mary gave a snort, "Hey Sage, I'm going to jump you. Ya right...a little warning, ha."

"Giddyup!" I said to him, rapping him on the head.

"I'm not a horse," Sage grumbled, managing to disentangle her legs from his back, "There's 3 in the backyard go ride one of those. Or there's four other guys upstairs."

"OHH, he said WHAT?" Kitty cried, as Mary gaped in astonishment.

"That sounded dirty, Sage," I commented. "Besides, I wouldn't want to take one of you boyfriends away from you! I'm nicer than THAT!"

"It was supposed to," Sage commented, saying with a snort, "You want 'em, you can have them."

"Shit he didn't get ANY sleep last night," Mary commented

"Ah, if he's going to be like this, I'm never gonna let him sleep," I grinned, elbowing Sage.

"Bah," Sage pushed her away gently, picked up a magazine and flipped through it. Kitty having instantly migrated to his side; either he was ignoring her or had become used to the fact Kitty was almost permanently GLUED to him

I smirked and gestured to kitty, pointing to my cheek and then at him. She got starry eyed and pecked him on the cheek. I burst into laughter as Sage careened sideways

Mary sniggered, as the blonde swordsman shuddered and picked himself back up; not surprisingly Sage immediately glared at the one he knew had instigated that idea. "Not going to work on her either Seiji," Mary commented without looking up from her writing

"Weirdo," Sage grumbled

"Baka," Mary retorted

I stuck my tongue out at Sage, just as the rest of the troup came thundering downstairs. I looked at them. "Done?" I asked innocently.

"Mmm, well now we know the greatest answer to the rabid fangirls questions," Mary commented. All the Ronins STARED at her. "What? What I say?" she innocently asked

"They know the answer to the rabid fangirls' questions now too, is all," I answered, before turning and walking up to Kento. "You know what?" I asked sweetly.

"Uh oh, what?" Kento asked, rather wary after going through THAT ordeal. Mary began to hum to SR71's 'Goodbye'

I smirked. Then I slammed my fist into Kento's cheek.

"Ow," Kento commented, rubbing at the spot

"Warrior of Strength, FG," Mary continued to write away.

I kicked him where the sun doesn't shine and turned to leave. "Dumb guys, always stand legs apart," I commented.

"Not commenting," Mary piped up, eyeing Kitty, "We're keeping this 'G' rated...Okay, PG-13."

I pouted, "No fair, violence gets an R rating too, you know."

"Fine, just say we're using the Japanese rating system," Mary commented

I smirked and nodded, walking off humming "Nazi halo."

Sage looked a little concerned, "Not a sign of things to come, I hope?"

Mary shrugged, "My psychic abilities took the rest of the day off, honto ne gomen nasai Seiji-dono." She paused, "On second though, NOT." Sage's eye twitched at being called 'dono'

"With those affected by bi-polar like symptoms, there is no predicting what is to come," I commented blandly, now inspecting the CD rack for something raucious to listen to.

"Comforting," Sage commented shaking his head a little; getting a slight reprieve because Kitty was now hanging by Ryo

Kento collected himself up off the floor, his face still scrunched up tightly. He winced as he walked over and sat down. Rowen unsurprisingly migrated back to the bookshelf and Cye was looking lost. Mary looked out and rolled her eyes, "Fine Cye, go ahead and clean up."

He blinked at Mary and I piped up, "Do it or I'll break your arm." Cye quickly scurried away

"Smart man," Mary mumbled

I walked over to Mary and offered my hand for a high five, "Scary chick brigade!"

"Wohoo! Maybe we should try and rule the world instead?" Mary queried, "We've got these guys whipped and we don't even need magical mini-skirts."

My face went blank. "Magical whatsihoots?" I shook my head and said, "no no no NO, if thats what it takes to be a female mastermind. I'll pass."

"Was simply making a pun at the Senshi," Mary sniggered, "Most of my female villians-" She paused, "Wait, no they all happen to be sluts, bad examples..."

Sage snorted, "Ya, I'm sure someone dressed in nun's clothing is going to win against us."

I looked over at him, saying, "I had more of a goth outfit in mind, actually. I'm not THAT modest."

Sage sniggered, "Whoever said you were? OW!"

Mary had thrown her book at him, "Be quiet! And hand that back, please," Sage actually gave it back to her, "Thank-you."

Kento raised an eyebrow, "You know she's been crabby ever since we got here. Is it that time of month or something?"

Mary snorted, "If it were, there'd be some unmarked graves to go along with our abandoned Meth lab."

I smirked. "Be afraid, be _very_ afraid," I commented. Then I walked over to Rowen and took his book away.

"HEY!" he yelled. "Give it back!"

"Nah," I said, flipping it shut. "It's boring watching you read all the time."

"What am I supposed to do?" he commented irritably. "Do a stand up performance?"

"Ya, and Sage will do the Macarena," Mary piped up.

Sage snorted, "The HELL I will."

I walked over to Sage and put my hand on the back of his neck, my fingers closing in on the pressure points there. "The little birdies say, yes, you will."

Sage gave her a very bored look, "Screw the birds."

"WOAH," Mary blinked, "That's his what third or fourth swear today? Man..."

I looked down at him and smirked. "Nah, I know who's _really_ having their time of the month..." I jabbed the pressure point, just for the pleasure of seeing him jump.

Sage gritted his teeth together "Don't say it," Mary chimed, "You're supposed to be the courteous and wise one...Put both to use and leave the stupid stuff to the remainder of the Brady Bunch."

"Not going to ask where you came up with that," the swordsman commented

I snickered and walked over to Ryo. He seemed to be contemplating the ceiling very hard, as he sat with Kitty leaning against him. "So Ryo?" I asked. "How many dots are on the ceiling?"

"So far 4,087,676..." he commented. Then he jumped, having realized he'd spoken. "Uh, what?"

"Not touching that one either," Mary shook her head, took her writing notebook walked over to Rowen put it in front of him and then closed it in his face, "You did ask what I was writing before, there was your hint." She then proceeded to walk upstairs.

Rowen blinked and scowled. I went over and plopped down beside him. "Hello!" I commented, smiling innocently.

"All right, do whatever you're going to do, and then find a new victim," Rowen sighed through his nose. Sage seemed to take this moment to go outside

I just said, "Aw, is Rowen worried for his physical well being? Or," I added, thinking, "You're just trying to get me to go find Cye and _actually _brake his arm."

"Mind reader," Rowen complained

I grinned and tapped my head. "The voices love me!" I said. Then I got up and snooped around until I found Cye. I slung an arm around his shoulders. "I'm bored," I complained. "You wouldn't think that would be the case with five guys in my house, but it is."

"One could take that as a rather risque comment," Cye snorted out

"One could, if their mind was clogged well enough with risque thoughts," I countered, smirking at him.

"Touche," was the Torrent Ronin's reply

I tugged him over, "Come on, you're going to help me bug Ryo."

"Think we'll be capable of detaching Kitty from him?" Cye asked in amusement.

"Yes," I said. "All I have to do is... Hey, Kitty! Sage is depressed, he needs a hug!"

"You're mean," Cye observed, saying with a grin, "I like you!"

I smirked and elbowed him. "Why do you think no one's gotten a moment's peace since you pulled in?" I asked

"Just think, you'd have to torture everybody all on your own without me!"

Rowen looked up from his book and observed, "And suddenly they're friends? Kami help me."

"No, no I promised myself I'd be good," Cye said, "I'm on vacation."

"Promises are made to be broken," I commented, giving him puppy-dog eyes

"Hmm, well it's not like I haven't lied to myself before, what the hell," He shrugged

"YES! Oops, I mean, bad boy, very bad boy." I then dragged him over and said, "Yo! Ryo!"

Ryo let out a low moan crossed with a whimper..."Now what?"

Kento was chortling from his seat. "You're turn for my attentions!" I cried out, glomping him. Poor Ryo...The look on his face. Cye sniggered.

I got up and announced, "Now that you've counted the dots on the ceiling and the seconds in an hour, and the milliseconds in a second, its time to get up!"

"And do what?" he asked, defeatedly.

I tapped my chin, thinking for a moment. Then I got an idea and whispered something to Cye. He nodded, smirking. He walked across the room and got the phone and handed it to me. I looked at Ryo and said, "We all know why you're so depressed. Here, call Elayne. You can tell her how much you love her and everything will feel much better."

Kento was now on the floor howling

"Oh very fucking funny," Ryo commented, tossing the phone at Cye and smacking him with it. Rowen was howling from his own spot

I leaned down and pecked Ryo on the forehead, smirking. "Dude, you really need to get laid, you know?" His eyes widened and I said, "What? What are you looking at me for? Kitty's outside!"

"Someone needs a quickie," Kento roared

"You know," I said, "It just occured to me, its a damn good thing Justin sleeps in so much." I smirked at Ryo expression. "What do I have to do? Dance a jig? Do cartwheels? Knee Kento in the balls again? Huh, what's it gonna take?"

"I'm leaving," Ryo said with a nod to himself, "Go find a nice lake to drown myself in." He got up and walked upstairs to locate his tiger

"Okay, go talk to Mary, she can analyze you and tell you why you have so many issues," I called up after him.

"I'm just so THRILLED," Ryo hollered back

"GOOD!" I yelled back, "SHE'S EXPENSIVE!" I added

"What is she Dr. Phil?" Rowen asked with a snort, "Or Oprah."

"I AM NOT A GORILLA!" Mary yelled down

"Damn, she's got Sage's hearing," Kento snorted

I smirked. "No trying to plot, ew have ears in the walls," I said to them.

"Yeah, apparently," Rowen commented

Rowen was laying, staring up at the ceiling, now deprived of books he was sulking.

"Rowen is _sulking!_" I giggled, and then danced around chanting, "Rowen is sulking, Rowen is sulking, its so effing funny, that Rowen is sulking!"

I paused and said to myself. "I LOVE being a morning person!:

"It's still morning?" Rowen groaned and closed his eyes; why him?

I grinned and grabbed Cye, whirling him around the room. The poor guy barely was able to maintain his balance as I continued chanting, "Rowen is sulking, Rowen is sulking, I think its so funny, that Rowen is sulking!"


	5. Chapter 5

I was sitting at the desk, my headphones plugged into my youtube playlists, bobbing my head to my favorite music as I wrote. I was steadily filling up the pages in my notebook, it would seem. Mary was working on a college assignment upstairs and Justin was educating the Ronins on how to use his playstation 3 while giving a dissertation on video games.  
All in all, it had turned into a fairly quiet afternoon, which I found surprising, considering how the day had begun. I _still_ couldn't believe he'd been in my bed. All I could figure was that it was the same principle that applied to cats - they locate the most comfortable spot and claim it for themselves, not caring how much discomfort it caused anyone else.  
Getting away from that, though, I'd worn myself out pretty good while harassing the various Ronin and had settled down to a less obnoxious pass time. I felt someone tap on my shoulder, causing me to look up and pull out an ear phone. "Yes?" I asked Kitty, who smiled at me.  
"I want to play truth or dare again tonight," she said, trying to look innocent and failing.  
I glanced at the guys, who by all appearances were ignoring us. Kitty must have something planned to be asking this. "Well, considering how hard they had it last time, I don't think we'd be able to get them to agree to it."  
"Then, how about spin the bottle?" she asked, her grin turning slightly evil. This was probably all because she wanted me to get a boyfriend... wasn't it?  
"I'm going to get a snack," I heard Justin comment as he left the room. Kento didn't follow, probably desiring a break form his talking more than any amount of food.  
"Er... no, how about I talk to Mary about this one?" I said, turning my eyes back to the screen.  
Faded Glory: Kitty wants to play spin the bottle... help!  
Mary: She what?  
Mary: Sorry, not happening.  
Faded Glory: I know, XD, I told her that I don't think our new friends would go for Truth or Dare again, either.  
Mary: Eh, I bet I could make them.  
Faded Glory: Uh oh, what do you have planned?  
Mary: Come up here and I'll tell you  
Faded Glory: Bring Kitty too?  
Mary: Sure, the more the merrier.  
Faded Glory: Una momenta, I'm doing some research  
Mary: Rowen Jr.  
Faded Glory: Then you're Ryo's soulmate.  
Mary: Creepy thought.  
Faded Glory: Damn straight.  
I pulled up a web browser and typed in Okinawa Martial arts, opening the wikipedia link. Once again, I was studying weapons and weapons history. These ones interested me because many of them were invented in the 14th century while Japan occupied Okinawa, making a law that banned all weapons. Of course, the common people had to find new ways to protect themselves against bandits. The bo, or the six foot staff, was a weapon I'd been tought how to use. I was good with it too.  
I copied and pasted it, saving it for future reference. Standing up, I grabbed Kitty and said, "Come on, conference up in Mary's room."  
She and I jogged up the stairs to Mary's room, before knocking and entering. "What do you two say to a little... blackmail?" Mary asked us, her evil smile infecting us too.  
"I'm game," grinned Kitty.  
"Good, now here's the plan." She beckoned us closer and explained in a whisper. "Just in case they're eavesdropping."  
We proceeded to discuss our evil plot with our heads together, whispering quietly. Five minutes later I hurried to my room, grabbing my camera off its cradle and my printer, that looked more like a toaster. It was cute, and a present from my brother, the same for my camera. I carried them into Mary's room, quickly followed by my stash of photo paper.  
An hour later, we emerged triumphant, that so far things were going well. I hid our device of persuasion behind my back and we arrived at the landing and looked at the guys, trying very hard to hide our smirks of evil satisfaction.  
Sage looked over at us and I saw his eyes narrow. He wasn't dumb by any stretch, but it didn't take Rowen's brains to figure out that we were up to no good. Sage, of course, was not left out of this - we had incriminating evidence on him too.  
"Ok guys, listen up," I said, holding something behind my back.  
"There is a little announcement that needs to be made," Mary chipped in, a little too sweetly.  
Sage looked up, he knew we were up to no good, it was obvious. Just what we were planning, however, was the problem that faced him.  
Rowen looked up, "What is it now?" he sounded rather tired.  
"All right, I'll take the bait," Cye groaned out, "What are you three up to this time?"  
"Kitty here wants to play Truth or Dare again," I commented, a little bit of my smirk starting to leak onto my face.  
Ryo moaned aloud, "Not that again."  
"No," said Sage flatly.  
"Oh yes," she said, not bothering to hide her evil grin anymore.  
I sniggered and said, "Yes, or else!"  
"Or else what?" inquired Sage  
Rowen rubbed at his forehead, did the swordsman really have to ask? "Look, let's just play the game you guys. They're up to no good."  
"Captain Obvious," Mary snorted.  
I let the evil grin splash across my face before getting rid of it. "Are we that obvious?" I asked, innocently.  
"Rebekah, this is coming from the guy who made the blatant declaration that flower-boy was a man," Mary was trying hard not to laugh and was turning rather red from the effort.  
"Huh, what?" Rowen blinked.  
I laughed and said, "Alright, gather 'round everyone!"  
Mary had three keyrings and dropped them in the desk drawer, "Just to keep Zolt from barging in. He wouldn't want to be here for this anyway."  
I sniggered and sat down on the other side of Rowen, probably the only Ronin that didn't weird me out. "I have a feeling not, though he's useful dare material."  
"You can still use him for such, he'd get a kick out of that," Mary watched as the Ronins cringed.  
"You're right, I'll remember that," I clapped my hands happily.  
"Aww he's not that bad," Mary said a little defensively to the cringing. "Yuli's worse."  
Rowen looked thoughtful, "Valid point."  
"Yeah, I guess. Since he's a Ryo junior, he _would_ be worse," I commented, sticking my tongue out at Ryo.  
"Can we just get this over with?" Ryo moodily complained.  
"So do we do the last thing we did last time to decide who goes first?" I asked.  
"What about Jan-ken-pon instead?" Mary queried, "No, wait, too kiddish."  
"Draw sticks?" I asked, shrugging as it popped into my mind.  
"No sticks!" Ryo immediately protested  
"Haha, no sharp pointy objects, haha," Mary sniggered.  
"Why?" I asked, "Scared of getting poked?"  
"Stabbed actually," Ryo answered.  
I smirked. "Acupuncture is good for you, though!"  
Kento rolled with laughter; "Not for Ryo."  
"He's normally getting his ass pawned by the forces of evil anyway," Mary piped in, with a grin as Ryo sulked.  
Rowen snorted down a laugh, "Just do the number thing, please."  
I elbowed Rowen. "Ok then. I'm thinking of a number between 1 and 100."  
"Twenty," Ryo grumbled out.  
"Forty-four," Rowen gave a yawn.  
"I'll say 42," commented Cye.  
Kento messages his temples, eyes closed in concentration before declaring, "Ten!"  
"65," added Sage blandly.  
"2.5," Mary ignored the odd looks.  
"Kitty?"  
"21."  
"All right then," I said. "You guys have the psychic abilities of a toad. It was 56."  
"Mmm, I guess Sage is dyslexic," Mary mused.  
I said with relish, "Sage goes first,"   
Kitty laughed while finally getting Mary's comment.  
Sage scowled and randomly picked someone, "Kento, truth or dare."  
"Damn man, why me?" he grumbled. "Truth."  
"Which girl do you like best?" He smirked at Kento's uncomfortable expression, since truth was, they were all annoying as heck.  
"Eh, that's easy," Kento says. "Rebekah."  
"Oooh," Kitty nudged me in the ribs. "Looks like you could possibly have a boyfriend after all."  
I looked at the carpet intently, ignoring Kitty's remark, counting to ten backwards to keep myself calm. "I figured he'd pick you since you actually leave him alone... and fed him sugar," I added accusingly, looking up, though I was grinning.  
"Hey, yeah," Kitty says now and scowls at Kento. "Why DIDN'T you pick me?" I sniggered.  
Kento shrugs; "You didn't feed me enough sugar AND you got me in trouble because of the sugar."  
I burst into laughter, amused to no end with his response. Mary snorts, having curled up into a ball in her bean-bag chair; her hands were like ice-cubes and she was not feeling all that spectacular, "Mmm, maybe Kitty has a husband; they're arguing like a married couple." Rowen chortled.  
Cye sniggered and said, "Yeah, because Rebekah's mine!" He received a sharp blow to the back of his head for that one, as I 'accidentally' dropped a book on his head.  
Kitty and Kento eye each other with looks of disgust before both say, "Ew!"  
"Hentai," Ryo and Rowen snort out at Cye's comment  
"Say what?" I asked, not being that fluent in Japanese yet.  
"Ugh, Kento, pick somebody!" demanded Cye.  
"They just called him a pervert," Mary mumbled with a yawn. Meanwhile Sage watched with his one eyebrow raised.  
"Aaah, ok." I said, "That makes sense then. They're all lecherous old men anyhow..." Sage coughed rather hard.  
"Alright, let's see here..." he rubs his hands together evilly now before picking. "Cye! Truth or Dare?"  
Cye smirked. "Dare."  
"Dare huh," an evil little grin comes across Kento's face now as he sat up straighter. "I dare you to kiss Rebekah." My face went white and I back up slightly, feeling more than apprehensive.  
"Oh man, HEY! I thought he was your best friend, Kento?" Mary asked blinking, "Oh, I get it you want him out of the picture."  
Rowen was trying very hard to hide the fact he was laughing as Kento winked at Mary; "You got it."  
I sighed and muttered under my breath something very derogatory. Cye got up and walked over to me, a little too calmly I thought to myself. His lips hit mine and since as far as I was concerned that was a kiss, I slammed my fist into his gut. "Get out of town, bloody redcoat," I mumbled, taking a page out of Mary's book.  
"Moron, should have put on the subarmor first," Mary lamented.  
Kitty shakes her head at the whole thing. "What am I going to do with you?" Sage smirked. This whole dumb game was quite entertaining. Kento, at this point, was in stitches on the floor, not bothering to hide how much he found that to be funny.  
I looked over at Kitty, "You expected me to be receptive of the fact that I get my first kiss through a dare?" I asked, looking resigned to my fate. This game was no longer very entertaining... Though punching Cye was rewarding in and of itself  
"With an anime character, no less?" Mary added in, she had brought along her writing book for this and was scribbling away.  
"Hey!" said Cye.  
Rowen added, "Just pick somebody, you oaf."  
Cye plopped himself back down and said, "Ryo, truth or dare."  
"Seeing as how what the last dare was, I'll go with truth," Ryo commented.  
"Smart choice," I muttered, looking and feeling vengeant.  
Mary's pencil actually broke, "Eh? I heard that, right?"  
Ryo flipped her off, and she snorted, "Talk to Kitty."  
Cye thought for a minute and then said, "Ok, what would you say is your favorite part of our vacation so far?"  
Kitty grinned happily while nodding. "Yeah come talk to me about that."  
I covered my head with my hands and moaned, "Oh, my poor ears."  
"Hey," she points over at Mary. "She said it."  
I glared at the ground, "I hate how hormonal people act."  
Ryo's eye twitched before he hastily turned his attention to Cye, "Mm, I'm going to say last night, when you guys were complaining about how evil these girls were, and what an awful predicament this was, and," Ryo grinned, "Oops. Was I not supposed to bring that up?"  
I could not resist saying, "Aw, that made my day! Now I know that I'm not in any real danger with these two weirdos!" I pointed at Cye and Kento.  
Kitty shrugs, "Um, thanks for the compliment?"  
"Hey!" Kento protested. I stuck my tongue out at him, not caring how juvenile the motion was.  
Ryo smirked, "I figured it would. Sooo, hmm, Sage truth or dare?"  
Sage leaned back and said, "Truth."  
"Still regretting us dragging you back to the States?" Ryo queried.  
"Naturally," he answered blandly.  
"Just making sure," the Ronin leader commented.  
Kento rolls his eyes at Sage. "Whatever man, you know you're having fun here."  
Sage looked around, obviously wondering who he could torture the best. His eyes landed on Kitty. "Kitty, truth or dare."  
Kitty blinks, surprised that he was even acknowledging her. "Um... dare?" she says hesitantly.  
Sage smirked, this was where his sense of humor, however dark and well hidden, came into play. "I dare you... to kiss Ryo. On the lips." The glint in his eyes spoke of untold amusement as Ryo seemed to choke on air.  
I gaped and then laughed, "Wow, you just made her day!"  
"And here I thought you'd make it something horrible," she turned to Ryo now, who looked more than a little nervous and smiles. "Ready?"  
Ryo's eyes were like saucers. "No."  
Mary grinned and said, "Aw, payback is so sweet!"  
"Too bad," she said sweetly and then kissed Ryo. I pulled out a camera and snapped a picture.  
"Ryo," Kento got out between rolls of laughter. "You need help."  
"I love blackmailing people," I said, my grin infectious as Mary and I high fived each other.  
"Thanks for the dare Sage." Now on cloud nine, she scanned the people in the room for the next victim. "Hm, let's see here... Rowen, truth or dare?"  
Rowen looks up nervously at Kitty, never having suspected that her attention would turn to him. "...Dare...?" he asked, already wincing at his dumb decision  
Kitty rubs her hands together now evilly. "All right, I dare you to put Sage's hair into pigtails."  
Rowen blanches. "Whuh?" Sage scowled deeply looking ready to kill Rowen if he even tried it.  
"Pigtails," Kitty held out two hair bands for him to use. "Put Sage's hair into them."  
I elbowed Rowen, "Go on, if he bites, we'll get you tetanus shots."  
Rowen looked at me disdainfully, taking the two hair bands and approaching Sage with a determined face. Rather roughly, he grabbed the hair that covered Sage's other eye and pulled it all back, tying it up into a sloppy mess. He did the same with the other side, causing me to snap another photo, as I laughed maniacally.  
"Hahaha!" Kento laughed loudly while clapping his hands. "I want a picture of this!"  
"I'll give you a copy," I promised, still sniggering. "Though I wonder why Rowen hasn't done any research into hair styling yet..." Sage, looking murderous, attempted to pull out the hair ties, wincing as it pulled his hair. "Here, let me help," I said, seeing him stuck in that situation was amusing, but it had to be fixed.  
"Oh, I'll help!" Kitty volunteered while taking to the other one and gently trying to undo the hair tie from the mess of hair.  
I walked over and began to gently coax out the hair ties, clicking my tongue at the mess Rowen made. Successfully done, I smoothed out Sage's hair and he batted our hands away. "What?" I asked. "You've got nice hair!"  
"Puffy," sniggered Mary, her eyes crinkling as she laughed.  
"You want nice hair? Come feel mine," Kento went fluffing his own hair now.  
I raised an eyebrow. "Wow, you're really desperate aren't you?"  
He smirks at that, "No, I just wanted to see if you'd really do it." I gave him both middle fingers and sat back down.  
Kitty takes her seat again by a still traumatized looking Ryo. "S'okay, Ryo," she said while patting his arm reassuringly. "It's over now, you can relax."  
"When you wanna do that?" Kento asks now.  
I looked at him "Pardon?"  
"You flipped me off," he said slowly, like talking to mentally challenged child. "I'm guessing you know what it means."  
I threw my hands up in the air. "Everybody thinks everything is charged by some kind of sexual innuendo! For God's sake, I need new friends." I put my head into my hands  
Kento blinks at this, "What the hell is her problem?"  
Kitty patted my shoulder in sympathy. I glared at him through my fingers. "Pervert."  
"Hey now," he held his hands up. "You flipped me off."  
Rowen said, "All right, all right, everybody be quiet," he said, as I looked murderous. "It's my turn to terrorize a hapless victim," he announced proudly.  
"So pick someone already, freak."  
Rowen looked around and decided (probably not the best idea) "Mary, truth or dare?"  
Mary rolled her eyes. "Dare me, bookworm."  
Rowen thought for a moment and said, "I dare you to read aloud what you wrote last."  
Mary gave an evil grin, Rowen had just chosen the perfect dare! This was going to be good.

_"Dull," Yuli lamented pulling away from the window. The sky had finally gone from the foul black it was earlier to a neutral gray; rain threatened to spring from the clouds, but it was as though they were waiting.  
Mia looked up from her spot in the Mansion's living room, where she was checking over her naginata for any damage, "I think we've seen enough action for one day."  
"Oh man," the teen visibly winced. "I can't get over it! I've seen the Ronin Warriors fight plenty of times. But that? Geez-"  
"Don't say it," Mia blandly commented cutting him off.  
"Huh?" The look of bafflement on Yuli's face was absolute.  
Mia gave a roll of her eyes, "That they got creamed."  
"Creamed?" He cried out before exasperatingly stating, "Mi, come on! They got their asses handed to them on a silver platter with gold inlay."  
"Yuli!" the red-headed woman instantly reprimanded, not believing the words had come out of his mouth. She took pause though when a snort caught her attention, Mia tilted her head to the corner of the room where Elayne stood.  
Realizing attention had been diverted to her the girl merely commented, "He's got a point."  
"See?" Yuli commented as if it were proof enough. "Even the guardian agrees with me. Ryo-tachi got slaughtered out there today."  
"So much for the hero worship," Mia dryly commented and Elayne gave a low snigger.  
There probably would have been more comments made, but uproarious laughter sounded, coming from the second floor.  
Mia and Yuli exchanged looks, "Kento." Both frown when Elayne let out a chuckle, "I so know what this is about."  
The three made their way up the stairs, but didn't have very long to wait to see someone. It seemed as if the whole world was situated in the hallway…Okay minus the Inner and Outer Senshi because Elayne had told them to stay at the Estate with their families…Yeah there's an underlying issue, and you'll read about it later. _

_"Well, who would have thought?" Kento clapped the archer on the back, "Way to go Ro!"  
The Ronin of Strata looked as though he were waiting for someone to put him out of his misery. The Lady Ancient stood beside him, quite interested in her shoes at this point.  
"What we miss?" Yuli curiously queried, wanting to know what the fuss was all about.  
Cye had a very wide grin on his face, "Rowen and Kayura kissing."  
"Seriously?" Yuli was gaping, "No way!"  
"Way," Ryo cheerfully quipped waving the Polaroid back and forth. _

_Elayne had her arms crossed in front of her chest, and grumbled to herself, "Let me see…Two hours ago they were getting murdered, an hour ago they were dealing with two deaths, and now they're poking fun as if nothing happened." She sighed through her nose, "I feel like Splinter. Oi, kids."  
"Shuddup you guys!" Rowen hissed out, face as red as a tomato.  
"Aw come on Ro," Kento was smirking, he was enjoying this way too much, "Here we all thought you were needy. OUCH!"  
Kayura had unceremoniously smacked Hardrock's bearer in the back of the head, a bored look on her face, "Get your mind out of the bedroom."  
"Why?" Ryo was getting a charge out of this, simply because it was major payback. "You were just in one." Sage snorted out a laugh at that, clearing his throat and trying not to draw too much attention to himself. _

_Elayne was fast becoming bored, and she let out a low laugh quickly gaining the attention of the warriors, she walked over and placed a hand on Rowen's shoulder, "S'okay Ro," her eyes landed on Kento, "Don't feel bad. Kento and Kirstin were necking in the hall."  
"We were not!" The two Earth Warriors screeched, Kento going rather red in the face.  
"Sounds like a guilty plea to me," the blonde swordsman teased, making the two even more uncomfortable. _

_Cale saw an opening so he gladly took it, "Ya, and you should have seen who Halo here was getting closed to."  
Sage's ears actually went red, and Elayne gave a grin, "Nii-chan? I don't believe it!"  
"Wow, I'm impressed," Cye said with a smirk, "Sage, you dog you!"  
The Ronin of Halo had locked his eyes onto the Winter Seasonal, Cale was a dead man.  
"Don't go there Cye," Vanessa sweerly chimed in, "I saw who you were snogging with."  
"You did not!" The Torrent Ronin cried out, actually going pale when Elayne gave a nod and said, "Yeah she did, so did I."  
Now the entire house was in an uproar, and Ryo actually felt dread because he had a feeling it was going to come back to him…It normally did.  
"Poor Ryo," Aurora managed to stifle her laughter and wiped away a few tears, "Only Ronin not getting any."  
Take the volume of the laughter and have it doubled because that is exactly what happened as Ryo's face went as red as his armor; of course it wasn't enough noise to drown out a certain comment.  
"Oh? Who said he wasn't?" Elayne's face was totally neutral and she stated it in a matter-of-fact way. Everyone was dead quiet now, and all eyes were staring at her.  
"WHAT?!" Ryo screeched at her.  
She couldn't help herself she had to laugh, "Oh my, the looks on your faces! Ha, I so got you all with that one." She walked out onto the balcony, and added over her shoulder, "Yo minna? You've been Punk'd."_

Mary stopped her reading a satisfied smile on her face at the looks of outrage, and embarrassment on the Ronins faces, "That was so worth writing, if only to get your reactions." She looked around, _who to pick, who to pick..._ "Cye, truth or dare?"  
Cye looked at her and then said, "Dare."  
Mary smirked. "I dare you to have a one to one fight with Rebekah, while she uses the bo staff."  
"YES!" I shouted, "W00T!"  
Kento pumped a fist in the air while shouting, "Finally! Some entertainment in this damn game."  
"Huh?" Cye looked confused. "Does she even know how to use one?"  
"Correction," I smirked. "I'm excellent with one." Cye blinked at me and I added, "You'll see, come on." I stood up and walked outside, getting the bo staff from Justin.  
"Well then," Kitty leaned back on Ryo to get comfortable for the match."Can't say that it was nice knowing you Cye."  
I smirked as I twirled it in one hand, never taking my eyes from him. I slammed the end of into the ground. "Ready?" I asked sweetly, before adding in a sinister tone, "Because I'm gonna whip your ass for trying to claim me."  
Cye blinked and then summoned his courage. What was he scared of? He was the Ronin of Torrent, he could handle me. No sweat. He summoned his underarmor, if only to prevent himself from being filetted alive, and took a stance, waiting for her to go first.  
I yelled over at Mary, "Hey," I said, "Play sum41's 'Fat lip' for me, would ya?" I smirked as I heard it come on, full blast. Turning, I picked up the staff and brought it around, blocking Cye's fist, before twirling it around and jabbing it harshly into his gut.  
"Oohh," Kento winced visibly at that.  
"Because we like having fun at other people's expenses," I sang along, knocking him backwards and blocking another charge of his. Cutting off his thrust mid swing, I twirled around him, bringing the bo into his back hard and causing him to stumble forward, "I don't wanna waste my time, become another casualty of society" I sang, laughing. It was easy, I wondered what the deal was, he was barely trying. "Come on, fight," I whined. "This is boring!" I was pleased to see that he actually responded, pushing back against my staff. He smirked and ducked under it, ending up with his face in mine. I bit his nose, before kicking him back  
"Ow," he whined, dodging another blast from my staff. "That was wrong, somehow."  
I rolled my eyes, barely avoiding one of his kicks. "Your mind needs a clorox bath." He ran at me, leaping over the staff as I went to trip him and he grabbed it, attempting to wrench it out of his hands. He was surprised when I actually let go, allowing him to have it. Since he was surprised, I yanked it back again when his grip was weak. I knocked him to the ground and put the end of it under his chin. "I win," I grinned.  
"Beat by a girl," Kento tsked now.  
"Twice," I said, walking away from Cye, snorting at his fighting skills. "Some 'warrior' he is..."  
All the sudden I was picked up from behind and Cye, sniggering, tossed me over his shoulder. "That's enough, onna."  
"Put me down, you jerk!" I said, hitting his back with my fist. His shoulder was digging into my gut and it HURT!  
"I don't want to," he commented. "Besides, you won because I didn't want to hurt you."  
I rolled my eyes. "That was a pathetic save, Cye. Put me DOWN!" I was actually surprised when he did so, dropping me on the ground with a thud. Then he put his hands on my shoulders and leered at me. _Ok, forget being brave, this is creepy!_ "Eep!" I said, darting up and hiding behind Kento. "Help me," I said, tugging on his shirt.  
"You know, the whole damsel in distress thing doesn't really fit you," he commented, looking back at me, smirking slightly.  
I scowled and hit him. "Protect me, damnit, he's creepy!"  
"Ow, all right already! Sheesh!" whined Kento.  
"Cye, Kento, knock it off," Rowen said, rolling his eyes. "Come on, lets finish this thing..."  
"It sounds like Rowen wants another go of truth or dare," Kitty commented, grinning mischievously.  
"Who wouldn't with us playing too?" I asked, "I mean, come on, we're awesome!" I glanced over at Ryo as I heard him make a strange sound in the back of his throat. "Please Ignore Ryo, who is whimpering in the backround..."  
"Aw, but you know I can't do that," she answered, turning to the mullet head. "Maybe he needs a hug!"  
"He'd rather you didn't," I said, my grin lopsided.  
"Hug him or not ignore him?"  
"Hug him."  
"Then it looks like I gotta hug him!"  
I watched in amusement as Ryo cringed. "Sure, be my guest."  
"Aww," Kitty pouted, "That almost hurts my feelings, Ryo. Maybe I won't hug you after all." Ryo sagged with relief and Sage smirked. Then Kitty pulled a dirty stunt, sneaking up and glomping him while his guard was down. I made a sound like strangled laughter and snapped a photo. Kitty patted his head and said, "There, now I don't know about you, but I feel better."  
Ryo's eye twitched and he said, "Sage needs some attention."  
Kitty turned on Sage now, smiling and beckoning him forward with a finger. "Oh Seiji... come 'ere boy." Sage unashamedly turned around and ran like the devil himself was after him, quickly heading to find a place to hide. "Oh well," she shrugged and plopped down to hug Ryo again. "Looks like you're stuck with me buddy."  
Ryo groaned, "God hates me"  
I walked over and grabbed Cye, dragging him over. "Here," I said, "Take pervert here, he needs a hug."  
Kitty crinkled her nose at Cye and hugged Ryo tighter. "Sorry, I don't do perverts."  
"Neither do I and I always get stuck with them," I whined.  
Kento draped an arm over her shoulders. "Are you calling me a pervert too?"  
I groaned and put my head into my hands "Somebody kill me quickly."  
"Oh come on girl. Kento isn't that bad."  
"No, it isn't him himself, its more like I don't know what to do with this attention, it scares the hell out of me," I muttered.  
Kento snorted at that while motioning to Ryo with a nod of his head. "Seems you and mullet head have something in common."  
I glared up at Kento, "I've got a better excuse. Does 17 years in intense emotional physical abuse say anything here? Never mind, that was uncalled for." I shrugged and walked off. "Have fun with Ryo, Kitty! I'll see if I can find Seiji-kun for you." I sniggered  
"Don't bother," she released Ryo from her clutches momentarily. "Just bop him one good for me, kay?"  
I laughed. "Not a problem. I'll see if I can coerce him into giving me a piggy back ride this time..."  
Kitty snaps her fingers now as a thought hit her. "Are we still playing truth or dare?" I looked over and nodded. "Then dare him to give you a piggy back ride." I had an evilly happy look on my face as I walked down the hill to find where Sage had hidden.  
I returned five minutes later, being toted on Sage's back, his hair covering both eyes as he performed this degrading dare. When he sees him come in with Rebekah on his back, Kento is thrown into hysterical laughter; leaning over and clutching his sides. I was sitting like a queen on her horse, rapping his head with sharp commands of, "Hurry it up there!" This only proves to make Kento laugh harder.  
"Hey Ryo," Kitty whispered to him now with a hand held to her mouth. "You wanna get Sage back for daring me to kiss you?"  
I grinned as I hopped off Sage. "Gallop Sage!" Kento called out to him.  
"I would have said that, but I figured someone would take it the wrong way," I commented, rolling my eyes.  
"With all the dirty minds around this place, that would be a big yes to that," he nodded. "So how was the ride?"  
I grinned, "Lots of fun!" I tapped Sage on the head, "Right, horsey?"  
Ryo looked at Kitty. "How?"  
She motioned him closer and then said, "Dare me to do something to him."  
Ryo blinked and said with a smirk, "Oh, I'll get him good," he promised and then announced, "I dare Kitty to sleep in Sage's bed with him tonight." He figured it would knock out two birds with one stone...  
Her face falls and she scowls at Ryo now. "You just HAD to make that my dare?"  
He looked like he was trying to act innocent. "What? What'd you want? Make out session?"  
Kitty smiled innocently at him "Not unless it involved you instead."  
Sage smirked as Ryo repressed shudders. I started laughing my head off at Kitty's comment, elbowing Sage hard as I nearly doubled over. Kitty threw her hands up in the air. "I'm done," she said before getting up and leaving. "They're all yours Rebekah."  
"Eww," I said, immediately sobering. "Why me? Give them to Mary! Or Siffy, but why me?"  
"Oh, oh, I'll take them," Mary yelled suddenly, hands in the air, "Torture objects!"  
"I'm not a present," commented Rowen, glancing nervously at Mary. "You're not giving me to anyone."  
"I'm giving myself to her," Cye commented, pointing at me, causing me to swat at him.  
"Eh, as long as you feed me I don't mind," were Kento's only words on the subject.  
"Commence Project Starvation," I muttered.  
Kento's face fell. "You wouldn't really starve me."  
I sighed and admitted, "No, I'd probably be happy as can be, cooking for you."  
His stomach growled then and Kento rubbed it. "Well, would you mind cooking for me now?" the look on his face his hopeful.  
I rolled my eyes and slapped a hand to my forehead. "You ate lunch an hour ago!"  
"Yeah, but," he pointed to the grumbling body part. "It says it's time to eat again."  
"You should have kept your mouth shut," Kitty commented, looking amused with my situation.  
"We'll finish the game first, THEN I'll cook something for you," I said, unbelieving of how stupidly honest I was. "I'm going to start lying like a snake," I decided, walking back to the house. "Come on, I'm freezing my butt off," I beckoned everyone to follow.  
"YES!" declared Ryo, darting into the warmth  
"Thank you!" Kento hugged her quickly before darting into the house.  
"Eek!" I squeaked, surprised. I looked back at Kitty, "They're all insane, aren't they? Insane but cute," I admitted, low enough for them not to hear.  
"This coming from you."  
I shrugged. "I never said they were ugly."  
"Well, I've changed my mind. I don't like any of them," Kitty declared. "In fact, I no longer even like Ronin Warriors."  
Ryo looked up. "Really?" Now he pouted.  
"Yep," she nods firmly. "I've moved on. They're all yours Rebekah." Kitty patted me on the shoulder. "Have fun."  
I looked at Kitty. "You're a lot sicker than I thought," I commented. "Leaving me, who is evidently so ignorant of this kind of thing, to the whims of five guys? Stay, please? _Please_?" I begged.  
Kitty blinked, "I only said I didn't like them any more, not that I was leaving."  
"Oh, phew," I pretended to wipe the perspiration off my forehead. "That was a close one."  
Mary opened her mouth and commented, "I think Rebekah needs to 'fess up."  
I looked over and said, "Huh?"  
Mary said, "You know a hell of a lot more than you let on."  
I quickly put a hand over Mary's mouth. "Bad girl!" I said. "Bad, bad, BAD girl. Be quiet or I'm changing your nickname from Mez to Ryo's Soulmate."  
Ryo's eye twitched. "I'd rather have Kitty," he muttered. "At least she didn't want to geld me."  
The girl shrugged at him. "Too bad, I'm outta it."  
Kento laughed now and snagged me around the neck. "So are we going to finish this game or what? I'm starving."  
I sighed and said, "Alright, everybody back in a circle, Stomach demands we finish up."  
"Move it people, move it!" Kento now moves into the crowd of people, clapping his hands to get them to move faster. Then takes his own seat in the circle.  
"We like to move it, move it," I sang, miming the dancing lemurs, laughing as I fall back into place  
"You pick the weirdest people to like, you know that?" Kitty whispered to me while sitting down next to me.  
"You're one to talk," I grinned. "After all, you and I get along, don't we?"  
Kitty opened her mouth to say something, then closed it and nodded her head. "Touche."  
"So who's turn is it?" Kento asked.  
I looked up and said, "It's Kitty's, she was dared to sleep with Sage..." I commented apologetically.  
"Which I'm not doing by the way," she cleared her throat then and looked around the circle. "Kento, truth or dare."  
"Truth."  
"Ok, who is your least favorite person?"  
"Sage," Kento answered without even thinking on it. "For being a stick in the mud all the time."  
I couldn't help the snigger that escaped and I patted Sage on the head "It's alright, we know you do have a sense of humor somewhere in there."  
"Too bad you can't show it all the time," Kento told him. "Then maybe you wouldn't be such a kill joy." Sage simply stared ahead, ignoring everyone "Eh, whatever," Kento waves him off while looking around to pick his victim. "Rowen, truth or dare."  
Rowen looked up. "Truth."  
"Ok," Kento had to actually think on this one a little longer than he would have liked. "What kind of relationship do you really have with Sage?"  
Rowen stared at him. "Uh, he's my... teammate?"  
I fell over onto the floor, laughing. "Oh god, he really doesn't know when to use his IQ!"  
"Um, I think Kento wants to know if he's your sex buddy, Rowen," Kitty said between fits of laughter.  
Rowen looked so repulsed that even Sage laughed softly "Come on Ro," Sage said. "'Fess up."  
"WHAT?" screached Rowen, skittering backwards.  
"Yeah," Kento nodded his head. "Always knew there was something fruity about you two."  
"Don't you mean 'nutty'?"  
Kento blinked, "Um, yeah that too." He scratched the back of his head, not really getting what she had meant.  
"So.." Rowen said, still casting strange looks at Sage, "Cye, truth or dare?"  
"Dare," Cye said with a grin.  
"I dare you to not make any perverted comments or suggestions or hints for the next twenty-four hours."  
"But, but, I'm not a pervert!" he said, protesting.  
"Says you!" laughed Mary, who couldn't be more pleased  
"If you're not then this will be a piece of cake for you Cye," commented Kento.  
Cye sulked, "You're just jealous of Rebekah."  
I covered my face, groaning. Kitty patted my head. "S'okay."  
"I need a new life," I muttered. "And I need the Ocean between me and them."  
"We'll start digging tonight then," said Kitty. "It'll only take us... a while though."  
Cye grumbled and said, "Ryo, truth or dare?"  
"Dare," Ryo said, no longer afraid of being dared to interact with Kitty in any manner.  
"I dare you to... drink toilet water," he said randomly.  
Ryo blinked, "Ok... whatever." He turned around and walked up the stairs to the bathroom and Mary sniggered.  
"He won't really do it," Kento said.  
"Oh yes he will," commented Cye, as he stood to follow Ryo. "Or else I'm giving White Blaze to Mary."  
"W00t!" hollered Mary. "Don't do it, Ryo!"  
I laughed and said, "I have to agree with her on that!"  
Ryo poked his head down and commented, "No so fast ladies, you get him, you also get me."  
Mary and I looked at each other and yelled simultaneously, "TORTURE OBJECT!" He groaned and went up.  
"Oh, it feels good to be oblivious to these guys now," said Kitty who was absently picking at her nails while waiting for it to be her turn again.  
I laughed and patted Kitty on the head. "I knew you'd come around eventually," I said.  
"Yeah now I'm just waiting for you."  
"HEY!" I said "I never said I liked any of them!"  
Kitty pointed at Kento. "Tell that to him."  
I waved my hand. "His stomach thinks for him."  
"Hey..." Kento turned to glare in their direction now. "Are you two talking about me?"  
I looked over innocently. "What? Why would we do that?" I looked over as Ryo and Cye came back down, Cye sniggering. "Wow, he must really want to keep his cat," I said.  
"Or rather, not be kept here as your personal pincushion," Rowen commented.  
"I'm going to say the latter," interjected Kitty.  
I laughed. "Aww, well, you never know, he might have liked it here... once the rest of his nutty teammates left."  
Mary snorted out, "Yeah, like horses eat meat."  
Ryo said, Kento, truth or dare."  
"Truth."  
Ryo smirked and said, "Did you send us here on purpose?"  
"Oh no, you caught me Ryo," he said sarcastically. "I picked this place out on purpose to see you tortured."  
"He picked this place because it's like an all-you-can-eat buffet," I muttered to Kitty.  
"Yeah and he's got a sixth sense for those things," she whispered back. I sniggered and nodded.  
"Ok, now who should I pick..." his eyes settle on me and I shrunk backwards. "Ok girl, truth or dare?"  
I debated how potentially lethal this situation was and thought before I decided rather uneasily, "...Dare."  
"I dare you to cook every one of my meals until I leave," Kento said with a smug smirk.  
I blinked at him, "Then you'd better count on eating less frequently," I said, "and breakfast is going to be late."  
Ryo laughed outright as Kento snapped his fingers. "Damn it."  
I smirked at him. "See what you've done?" I turned and looked at those gathered. "Hmm... Rowen, truth or dare?"  
"Dare," he said.  
"I dare you to do Mary's college assignments for her until you guys leave," I grinned.  
Rowen waved it away, "Whatever." Rowen looked at Kitty, "Truth or dare?"  
She look at him wearily before saying, "Dare."  
He smiled. "I dare you to give Rebekah dating advice."  
"WHAT?" I yelled, as I pulled off a shoe, throwing it at him. "I've already been put through her 'boy advice' thing, thank you very much," I winced.  
"Been there done that blue boy," she waved him off.  
Rowen dodged the misguided projectile and smirked. "Do it more."  
"Ok then," she turned to me now. "Here's the best piece of advice I could ever give you. Don't date one of these losers."  
I laughed and said, "No worries, chica, they couldn't make me."  
"Good!" She turned to the group. "Ryo truth or dare?"  
Ryo looked at her and answered confidently, "Truth."  
"Are you secretly gay?" His mouth dropped open, causing Rebekah howled in laughter and Mary had cracked up, falling backwards against her beanbag at his priceless expression. "No," he answered finally, looking beyond weirded out.  
She was trying hard not to laugh at this point and held her hands up. "Sorry, but I had to ask."  
He shook his head and went to pick out a new victim. "Cye, truth or dare."  
"Truth," said Cye.  
"Damn, I was gonna ask you to dare him to stay the hell away from me," I commented.  
Ryo smirked and said, "No, he just didn't want to get dared into drinking toilet water. Ok Cye, what were you mumbling about in your sleep last night?"  
Cye blinked, "I was mumbling?" Ryo nodded, as did all the other Ronin. Cye scratched the back of his head. "I don't remember anything." Everybody looked disbelieving.  
"You were mumbling some weird stuff buddy," Kento muttered.  
"...Er, whatever," Cye said, looking reluctant to discuss it. He turned and said, "Kento, truth or dare?"  
"Hm, dare," he says.  
Cye smirks. "I dare you to spar with Rebekah every day."  
I had to laugh, that was perfect. Kento would get his butt kicked for daring me to cook for him constantly.  
Kento shrugged, "Alright, that's fine. Sage truth or dare."  
Sage looked over at him. "Dare."  
"YES!" Kento lets out an evil laugh before saying, "I dare you to kiss Kitty and I'm not talking about no on the cheek stuff."  
"Rebekah save me," she said while hiding behind me.  
I couldn't move, I was struck between helping my friend and laughing my ass off... Siding with my friend, I punched Sage as hard as I could, sending him reeling backwards. Pain like ice and fire combined flew through my wrist and up my arm, causing me to drop it with a cry of pain. Cradling it, I winced and shook my head. "Sorry Kitty, you're on your own now..."  
Glaring, Kitty punched Kento now. "OW!" he holds his nose. "The hell was that for?"  
"For daring Sage to kiss me and making my friend hurt her wrist."  
"I was just helping out Ryo!" he complained.  
I sat back down, still clutching my wrist with a white-knuckled grip. "It's my own fault, Kitty," I said through clenched teeth. "I shouldn't have sparred with Cye and I shouldn't have punched Sage." I swallowed and got up, hiding how much pain the thing was causing me. "I'm not doing this anymore, I need to wrap my wrist."  
Mary jumped to her feet and said, "Let me see it."  
I shook her head. "I'll have to take that medicine and wrap it up, that's all I can do."  
"That medicine..." Mary started, frowning at me.  
"I know, I know," I grumbled. "I'll survive. They might not, but I will."  
She grinned, "That's more like you. Come on, we'll get you a wrap."  
"What?" Kento said to the glare he was still receiving from Kitty.  
"You're dead," she said to him lowly.  
He gulped. "Look, I'm sorry Rebekah; that was a stupid dare."  
I looked back at him indifferently and shrugged. "You'll get your punishment while I'm on this damn medicine."  
"What does it do?" asked Rowen curiously.  
"Turns me into the Grouch from Hell," I stated, climbing up the stairs.  
"Great," Kento drawled out. "Now it'll be like dealing with two sleep deprived Sage's."  
Sage, cradling his bruised jaw, glared at him. "Good."  
Mary and I came back down ten minutes later, my arm bandaged and medicine taken. I held my wrist in my left hand and said, "C'mon, Kento, time to eat."  
Mary looked at me, "I don't think you should-"  
I waved her off. "He can lift pots and stuff and its not like I'm useless with my left hand." I picked up my other shoe from where I'd thrown it at Rowen and stuck it on my foot. Looking over at Kento, I said, "Or were you not hungry?"  
"I'm comin!" he shouts before getting off his butt and jogging into the kitchen after her.  
I shook my head and stood for a moment, thinking about what I'd cook. He'd eat anything, I knew that... Which was good, because picky eaters annoy the hell out of me. Deciding on what I was going to do, I stuck my head out and said, "Hey, Rowen, do you want any soup?  
Rowen's head shot up and he came running in, "Yes!" he declared.  
"Anybody else?" I asked  
"I'll eat," said Kitty now while strolling into the kitchen and taking a seat at the table.  
I pulled out a big pot and got to work, assigning Rowen to peel potatoes and Cye to slice onions (Oh, the joy of revenge). Half an hour later, there was a large pot of very hot potato soup steaming away merrily. I took a spoonful of it to Kitty, "Tell me what you think, if I ask either of them, they'll say yes no matter what it tastes like."  
She looks at the spoon skeptically. "What is it?"  
"It's potato soup, specialty of my grandma, she taught me the recipe before I moved." I smiled, remembering my grandmother fondly  
"Potato soup?" her face brightened and she eagerly took the spoon to try some of it. "Mhmm... sooo good."  
I grinned. "Yay! I'm glad you approve." I dished it out for them, taking a mug of it out to Mary, who I was afraid was coming down with something  
"Food!" exclaimed Kento before promptly digging into it. His serving didn't last very long.  
"There's more in the pot," I said, unphased.  
I handed the mug to Mary, which she took, rather surprised. "Thanks," she said.  
I smiled and shook my head. "No problem. It's good for you."  
Kitty watched as Kento now goes for his third helping. "Um... I don't think the food is going to last for much longer."  
"That's his problem," I said, feeling my grouchiness settling in. "He gets the dishes, too."  
"Wah?!" came Kento's startled cry around the spoon that was still in his mouth  
I looked over at him, smirking evilly. "My wrist is killing me, Kento. Do you think you could please do the dishes for me?"  
"Oh alright," he mumbled.  
"SINCE you do owe it to her," Kitty added in. I grinned and we high fived (me with my left hand of course). "Thanks by the way, for the help before. I don't think I would've been able to stand having to go through with that dare."  
"Ah," I shrugged, "I'll do whatever I need to for my friends. Hell, I've only got three, You, Mary, and my brother."  
"What, we're not counting at least Kento as a friend?" she asked with a grin.  
I closed my eyes and shook my head. "Not until the medicine wears off," I commented. "Besides, in a week he'll be back in Japan and we'll never talk again," I smiled and started to walk out of the kitchen  
"Aw, but that's not true. Is it Kento?"  
"What?" he asked, looking up from the bowl he had been licking clean.  
I snorted and said, "See, I told you he thinks with his stomach."  
"Yes I do," he got up from his seat now, patting his full stomach and gave me a peck on the cheek. "Thanks for the food."  
I said, "He's gonna pay for that next sparring match..."  
Kitty laughingly says, "Oh come on, you know you liked that."  
I looked over and said, "Look at this - I have potato soup on my face now. I'm supposed to like that?"  
She laughed at that. "Have him come back and lick it off."  
I shuddered, "NO thank you." I wiped it off with a towel.


	6. Chapter 6

"What do you want to do now? Sorry, I'm kind of cripple, but I'm good with my left hand so long as it doesn't involve writing," I asked Kitty.  
"Hm," Kitty shrugs. "I don't know. I've lost my interest in them, so whatever you want to do is fine."  
I thought for a minute and said, "Want to pick a movie to watch? Since I'm so sadly illiterate in that department," I winked.  
"Yay!" she hopped up now to find a movie. "Get us some popcorn and OH some candy!"  
I laughed and nodded. "Fine with me." I turned and opened up a cupboard, looking for the popcorn. I scowled as I saw it was up out of reach. Turning around, I said, "Kento!"  
"Yessum?" he called from the sink.  
"Can you get down the popcorn for me? And.. um.." I looked up, squinting at the labels. "Whatever the heck the candy is, I can't read the label, don't have my glasses."  
"Popcorn check," he handed her down a bag of it and then pulled the bag full of 'the stash'. "Candy check."  
"Arigato," I said. I accepted them, supporting them in my arm against my body rather than in my hands, and toted the popcorn over to the microwave."  
"You know..." he drawled out now, turning from the sink and drying his hands. "Once that popcorn starts popping, you're going to have a few Ronins begging for some."  
I looked over at him. "That may be the case but if they reach for mine, they'll come back without a hand OR popcorn."  
"Ok then I'll pop some extra," he headed back to the cupboard now to grab enough for everyone.  
Rolling my eyes, I waited patiently as the popcorn smell filled the room. "Oh, yum," I said as I pulled it from the microwave, "Chemical preservants, fake coloring, high sodium, and butter from cookie cutter cows."  
"Boy, you're almost as good as Sage at ruining a good thing," he muttered while shaking his head and popping his own bag.  
I smirked and said, "Get used to it, I actually hate popcorn." I opened up the bag of candy and said, "There'd better be fudge in here..."  
"Ah, I haven't checked the bag, but I'm guessing there's some of it in there," dumping two bags full into a big bowl, Kento picked it up and begins for the front room. "Better be a good movie too."  
"I hope it's gory," I answered back. "And if there's any kissing in it, I'll kill someone."  
"Oh don't you worry," Kitty waves a dvd case in the their faces. "I picked resident evil, alright?"  
My face went white, "What?" I covered my face with my hand. "The one kind of movie I absolutely am terrified of." I'd watched my Nii-san play the games and they'd scared the bejeebees out of me.  
"Well that's what Kento's here for," she answered simply while plopping down on the couch with a box of good and plenty. "He'll protect you."  
I stared at her and said, "You know, the more I hang around you, the more I think you've been talking to my brother." I sat down beside her searching the bag for fudge. If I had to endure this movie, there'd better be fudge. Kento plopped down on the other side of me, stretching out so that his feet hung off the side of the couch. Sure enough, as he'd said, as soon as the smell of popcorn got to the others they appeared out of no where, with Justin in the lead. I found fudge and popped a piece into my mouth, happily ignoring the bowl of Popcorn. That was mostly for Kitty.  
"Amazing," she mutters to me while motioning with her head to Ryo who sat just at her feet, eating out of Kento's bowl of popcorn. "I stop giving them the time of day and now they're sitting around me. What's that remind you of? A stray dog?" Kento hushes the girl as the movie starts.  
"It reminds me of a kid that comes out once the hurricane has passed," I muttered back, a smirk playing across my face.  
She laughs and agrees. "Now how do we get rid of Kento?"  
"Stop feeding him, I guess. Or I could just BE Sage's newest little sister, I think that'd weird him out pretty well."  
"You think Sage would accept you as his little sister?"  
I grinned. "Either he will or I'll just be his newest fangirl, which one do you think he'd prefer?"  
"Sister."  
I nodded in agreement and turned to look at the screen as the movie began "If I die of a coronary," I said, "Please give all the money from my belongings to my brother... Since I promise I'd support him once I got wealthy..."  
She laughed at that, "Alright, but... I don't think it's going to happen."  
I shrugged. "You haven't seen anything yet, is all..." I grimaced as I watched all the workers in the plant get toxified  
"Oooh, now they're gonna be zombies."  
"Hush!" Kento told her crossly. She stuck her tongue out at him.  
"Make us," I taunted.  
Kento smirked, "Do you want me to hold you in my lap with my hand over your mouth so that you can't talk?"  
I looked at him evilly. "You wouldn't dare."  
Kento matched her look and then slowly passed the popcorn off to Ryo. "Wanna bet?"  
"Would both of you shut up?!" Justin yelled.  
Kitty kicked him in the back of the head. "Shut up before I do more than that."  
I jumped as a zombie appeared out of the dark, my hands clenching. _I can't believe I let her pick the movie..._  
"Scared?" Kento whispered.  
"Shut the fuck up," I growled.  
He pulled back, hands held up innocently. "Touchy."  
I looked over, "Sorry, I get that way when I'm freaked out." My eyes returned to the screen, wondering what horrible thing would happen next.  
"Hey Kento," Kitty said now while leaning around me. "Why don't you put an arm around her so that she'll feel better."  
I looked at Kitty. "I think you're trying to make me hate you..."  
She grinned back, "Nah."  
"Oh shit," I swore, as another person got ripped to pieces  
"Oh yeah, look at the blood!" she chuckled, eyes wide and slightly bouncing in her seat.  
"I wouldn't care if it didn't happen so suddenly," I muttered.  
"It's a zombie movie," Kento tossed a handful of popcorn into his mouth. "That's what's supposed to happen."  
"And that would be why I hate them," I bit out from clenched teeth, now feeling the shaking setting in. I wrapped my arms around myself, bracing for this. "Holy shit, I couldn't even watch tremors, with Nii-san." _Though admittedly, that was third grade..._  
"Tremors was good," he mumbled to her.  
"Thanks, I realized that after I was done jumping, shrieking, and being terrified," I said, nearly jumping out of my skin as yet another jump of camera resulted in grisly death. "Oh how I hate whoever came up with these movies," I muttered to myself.  
"Probably some freak who loved to scare people," she said to me.  
"Must have been Dracula's reincarnate," I grumbled, twitching. I shrieked as they were attacked again, getting glares from the others in response.  
"Hey, I see another glare and I will kick your ass," Kitty threatened the others.  
Kento scoffs while seizing up up my tiny self. "I'll take you on mini me."  
"Eek!" I cried. "What the hell- AAh!" I forgot all about it as the terrifying stuff continued. I dug my fingernails into his arm, watching the screen wide eyed.  
Kitty snickered at his wincing and pained expression. "Serves him right, the ass."  
I squeaked and hid my head in the cushions, theorizing that if I didn't look, I couldn't have nightmares about it, right?  
This she did laugh about while patting me on the back. "You can still hear it."  
"If I think of it as Serenai gutting Sudame, it doesn't bother me so much," I muffled out.  
"Good to know."  
"Who the hell are those people?" Kento asked.  
"I know and I'm not telling," I muffled out again.  
"Weird," mumbled Kento. I reached up and without taking my head out of the cushions, poked him in the face. "Ow! The hell?!" he complained while rubbing at his offended face.  
I sniggered and pulled my head out, "Sweet justice."  
"You can look now," Kitty told me. "The movie is over."  
"Oh thank God," I breathed, moving to get up. I looked at Kento. "You can let go now..."  
"Nah, that's ok, I'm good," he smirked at me now.  
I looked at him rather nervously. "What?"  
"You hit me for no reason," he told me with an evil smirk. "So now I'm going to hold you here in my lap."  
My brow shot up at this. "Now who's the weirdo?"  
"Consider it a time out for being bad," he told me.  
I smacked him on the head and grabbed his hands, trying to peel them off. "Let go, you're absolutely unbelieveable."  
He held firm to me, probably putting bruises on my waist. "Nope."  
I stared at him. "What, exactly, do I have to do to get you to let the hell off?"  
"Apologize for hitting me," he answered.  
"I'm sorry I hit you," I answered quickly.  
He let me go, albeit a little uncertain about my apology, but does so all the same. I walked away and said over my shoulder, "Not!" And darted off at top speed.  
"Cheater!" he shouted after me and crossed his arms, feeling completely duped.  
I poked my head around the corner and smirked at him. "You should feel duped," I said to his unspoken thought. "Because you can't get me!"  
With a growl, he was off that couch and chasing me down. "I'm going to get you, you little cheater!" he called to me.  
"Just try it!" I let my voice filter down to him as I shot into my room, shutting the door as fast as I could.  
He bounded up the stairs, taking them four at time only to run and bounce off my door. "Ouch son of a--" he rubbed his nose and glared at the door. I giggle behind it. _Good thing he didn't think to try the door knob..._ I shrieked as I heard him grab it and I ran into my closet. "Damn girl... shut the door in my face..." he grumbled while coming into the room only to find it empty. He scratched his head, sure that she had come in there. "Well what the..." I choked down a laugh. He was so easy to confuse. "Where did..." he muttered while turning around and heading back out of the room to retrace his steps.  
I blinked. _He left?_ I listened carefully, wondering what kind of trick this was. Then I thought, _This is Kento I'm talking about, not Rowen. Sheesh. I can't believe he didn't see the closet door. _I very slowly cracked it open, peeking out.  
"Ah ha!" he shouted, jumping in front of the door.  
I screamed and jumped back, slamming the door. _That was a very blonde moment_, I thought to myself.  
He knocked on the door. "Come on out," he said through it. "I know you're in there and this is the only way out."  
I sulked. "No."  
"I can wait here all night..."  
"Yeah, but I can send for some snacks. With a little threatening I can get the guys to do anything."  
I banged my head against the wall. "I swear to God, I'll never watch another scary movie." I looked down at the two pairs of high heels I had sitting in front of me. "Lucky for me, I have ammo."  
"Come on," he said in an annoyed tone. "Just give up already."  
The door opened up but instead of me, there came a high-speed projectile, formerly known as one of my black high heels. At the distraction, I darted out and careened past him, literally jumping down the stairs, holding my wrist to my front. _Aha! I am SO smart!_ I thought gleefully. I was forced to halt, however, as I found myself looking at Cye, Rowen, Ryo, and Sage, who blinked at me in surprise, but didn't move. Sounds of fumbling could be heard from upstairs before there's pounding footfalls on the stairs. I looked up with wide eyes and squeaked, attempting to get past the other Ronin. "Move, you bloody elephants!" I cried, shoving on Sage. "Please move?" I tried. I blinked as Sage stepped aside, a smirk on his face. I squealed and ducked past him.  
"That seems like an awful lot of work," commented Cye.  
"For what reason?" pondered Rowen.  
"Where is she?!" roared Kento, who had just now made it to the bottom of the stairs. Sage pointed behind them, to the back door.  
"She likes you," commented Cye.  
Rowen gave him a weird look. "You'd better hope she doesn't find out you said that."  
Mary walked in and said, "Uh oh, what'd I miss?"  
Kento took off for the back door, ignoring the conversation going on around him. I ran like hell down to the horse field, where I vaulted over the three rail fence and stood attempting to catch my breath, waiting to see if he'd find me  
"Damn it's cold out here!" came his curse while stumbling ouside to find me.  
"Oh really?" I asked, calling up to him, amused to see his frustration. "I can barely feel it!" I threw my arms wide. "All of this running has me toasty warm!"  
"Yeah, well you're just a weirdo!" he called out to her, following the sound of my voice to find me out there.  
I laughed, amused by this whole thing. It reminded me of my brother, we used to do this constantly... just, not in 30 degree weather. "Oh Keeento!" I called. dancing in place, blowing on my fingers to urge circulation back to them. "Where aaaaare you?"  
"Right here," he said while hopping over the fence and then was approaching me, teeth chattering from the cold. "Now where you gonna go?"  
I grinned and ducked away from his lumbering form. Then when he was least expecting it I ran around and jumped onto his back, yelling, "Piggy back ride!"  
Startled, he stumbles forward before catching himself. Chuckling, he says, "Piggy back ride huh?"  
I nod and grin, wrapping my arms around his neck. "Besides, you're half frozen. You came out without a coat?"  
"I was in a hurry," he said and then began to trudge back to the house.  
"Aww, poor Kento didn't want to lose his game?" I laid my head on his shoulder, peaking at him, acting about as innocent as I was able... I'm a decent actress, when I concentrate hard enough...  
"Something like that," he muttered around the chattering of his teeth.  
I blinked, then hopped off, grabbing his hand and dragging him towards the house. "Come on, or you'll catch pnumonia."  
"No I won't," the warmth from the indoors hit him and he practically unthaws right there and then "Ahh... that feels better."  
I blinked and rolled my eyes. "So much for having to worry about you. I was going to make you something hot because I felt guilty... but since you're fine now," I grinned and turned and walked off to find Kitty... and to shake her good and hard for starting this whole thing...  
"Well you know..." he calls out to her. "Something hot does sound good."  
I shrugged. "Kitchen's that way," I pointed for him.  
He pouted while heading off in that direction. "Meanie."  
I smirked and hollered, "Oh yeah? You can handle it, you big teddy bear-augh!" I was startled as I nearly ran into Kitty  
She stumbled back a pace before steadying herself and raises a brow at me. "In a hurry much?"  
"Yes," I nodded and reached out for her, "To get you!" The Ronins snickered as Kitty backed away. "You do realize that now he's never going to leave me alone?"  
"Ah... who are we talking about here?" she continues to back away, searching for her escape.  
"Who do you think?" I said in exasperation and pointed towards the kitchen, "The adult man that is now in the kitchen pouting."  
"Oh, Kento?" she waves her off. "Oh come on, it could be worse."  
I stopped and stared. "How so?"  
"Oh like, you could have Cye following you around like a love sick puppy."  
I blinked and then thought for a minute. "Admittedly, he is the cutest one of them all..." Cye's eyes went wide and I stuck my tongue out at him  
"See," she said, thinking that the crisis had been adverted. "No biggie."  
"Wrong!"  
I jumped on her, shaking her shoulders not too hard, just enough for her to get the idea, and plus I could only use one hand. "You realize that I have to cook for this human vacuum cleaner? I like cooking, but this is ridiculous." I looked at my wrist and muttered, "Though I may not have any choice but to back out of sparring..."  
"Ok! Ok!" she holds her hands up. "What do you want me to do? It's not my fault he's decided he likes you."  
I frowned at her and then put a hand on my face. "Why the hell am I likable? God please strike me with lightning NOW!"  
"Hm," she leaned around me and eyed the blonde Ronin. "I think he could help you with that."  
"I didn't say I wanted Sage to fry me," I snorted. "He might get too much personal satisfaction out of it."  
"Yeah I think you're right," she looked back up at me. "Hey, you know, you brought this on yourself. You fed the stray dog and now it's come back."  
I scowled at her. "I can't help it if I'm nice!" Sage snorted.  
Mary chose this moment to interject, "She's nice at first and then she gets tired of them. Ask Tucker."  
My eye twitched. "Well, if Kento shits on the carpet every morning, I'd be tired of him too."  
"Um... somehow I think he's house broken."  
I snorted. "He'd better be... Or he'll sleep in the rec room with Tucker."  
"And they can shit on the carpet together."  
I clapped my hands together, "You got it!"  
She wrinkled her nose at the thought; "That's gross."  
I nodded. "Yep and now you know why I didn't want him in my bed." Kento reentered the room, just as I said that.  
He raised a brow, not sure that he'd picked the right time to come back into the room. "Didn't want me in your bed... why?"  
I had a blank moment as I looked at him, then looked at Kitty, who was grinning. Mary started laughing behind me. I looked up at the ceiling and said, "Nothing, nothing at all."  
"Because you're not house broken," Kitty supplied for him cheerfully. I growled and swatted at her head, which she dodged.  
"House broken?" he mouthes 'ok' and then turns to go back into the kitchen. "Chicks are weird."  
I stared after him in amazement. Then I looked at Kitty and said, "Boy, I guess sweet and dumb really do go hand in hand."  
"Yep!" she nods. "No brains, but has muscle and a kind heart. How lucky you are."  
I wrinkled my nose. "Grr."  
"But Kento's waiting," she shooed me off.  
"HEY!" I protested, "What happened to 'never date one of these losers?"  
"I didn't say he was waiting for you to go confess that he likes you and wants to go steady," she said innocently.  
My eye twitched. "Kitty," I said slowly, "I don't know what to make of you."  
"Neither do they," she hooks a thumb over at the other Ronins.  
Shaking my head, I walked into the kitchen, Kento was rummaging through the cupboards, shockingly. "I suppose you're wanting dinner?"  
"Nah, you got a bum hand so I can handle it on my own," he says from where his head is stuck in a cupboard.  
I raised an eyebrow. "I have two hands, in case you failed to notice, and one of them is perfectly fine," I felt my crabbiness returning. _Oooh, medication is the joy of the world_. Plus my wrist DID still hurt.  
"Look," he says while pulling his head out. "You made me lunch with your hurt hand, I can handle dinner."  
"Okay then," I said. "I'm going to sleep, before I bite someone's head off. Do me a favor and don't burn down the house and don't let _Justin_ burn down the house."  
"Can do," he gave her a salute.  
I snorted and thumbed my nose at him. "I dare you to find something raunchy to say about that one."  
"That one what?" he asked with a raised brow.  
I rolled my eyes and walked out, muttering, "Dumb but cute, eh? How the hell..."  
I walked out and said, "And a fond farewell to the rest of you nuts, I'm off to bed before I commit homocide." I blew my hair out of my face, but it didn't move and I snarled at it, "I ought to just chop you off!" I received strange looks in response.  
"Yeah, alright then," Kitty said while eyeing me, seriously considering at this point how sane I really was. "Night then."  
I gave everyone the peace sign then an evil smirk and went up the stairs, this time very carefully locking my bedroom door. Ain't no way in Hell Kento's getting in tonight.  
"Ok, well now that she's gone..."  
Mary looked over at Kitty. "What?"  
Kitty shrugged, "I don't know. I'm outta ideas."  
Ryo said, "Unlock her door?"  
Mary shook her head, "You can't. It locks from the inside, no key for it."  
"I'm sorry, do you hear something, Mary?" Kitty said, knowing she was being a smart ass to Ryo now.  
Mary grinned and patted Kitty. "No, I think its just you."  
"Yeah, the voices in my head must be speaking again."  
Ryo's eye twitched

-----------------------------------------------------------

"What are you doing out here so early?"

I turned my head and looked at Ryo, who had made the comment. "I woke up," I said in a pretty obvious manner, wishing the early morning silence had gone on uninterrupted. I suppose I should have expected him to be up to bother me first, though.

"So why didn't you go back to sleep?" he prodded, sitting down on one of the chairs where we were on the back porch.

"The medicine wears off very suddenly and when it does, that's it, I can't sleep anymore. I guess Kento's lucky, breakfast'll be early today."

Ryo smirked, "He's going to propose to you for that one," he felt the need to comment.

I rolled my eyes and stood abruptly. "Why the hell does everyone feel the need to push us together?" I snapped irritably, walking down the hill, leaving him with that one bitter come back.

Ever since moving, I'd been struggling to unwrap myself from the restrictions my biological mother had imposed on me, fighting so hard to be _myself _and not just what the person standing in front of me wanted to see.

I didn't want to discuss my past with the Ronin, even though it probably would have made me a lot easier to get along with if they understood me. Kitty knew enough about me, having received the summarized version... in depth was something that only Mary really knew. And though I joked a lot and poked fun at the fact that Kitty seemed to want Kento and I together, the fact was that it was a terrifying prospect. The thought of having to tell him everything about me made me quail like a coward. This was what I'd been brooding on, hence I had misstepped and snapped at Ryo where I shouldn't have.

I'd been awake since 3 AM when I'd woken with a start, my medication having worn off entirely, leaving me vulnerable to the ravages of insomnia. I'd puttered around in my room as long as I could, finally giving up and going outside sometime around 4 to enjoy the night. My mind was clogged by my flying emotions, laid raw by nightmares that had chased me through the night. Perhaps that was why I'd popped off...

I shook my head, rubbed my forehead as if to ward off my memories, and then took off at a brisk trot down the hill. If I wore myself out with physical exercise, maybe I could stop _thinking _for once. I'd have taken the bo staff and practiced until my entire body hurt, if it weren't for my damn wrist that was still throbbing. I let my hair down, because its long heavy tresses helped keep my neck warm where I'd have otherwise been freezing. Thrusting my arms above my head, I stretched out, hearing the popping in my back that meant the knots had been released.

Shaking myself, I tore off across the field. I was a terrible distance runner, though I was able to sprint short distances fairly well. Normally it managed to exhaust me to a point where I could no longer torture myself with my own thoughts. I jogged up the steep hill, into the woods and away from the house. Once on top, I paused to breathe, the air escaping my body form white clouds around me. The sun was just breaking the horizon, sending tendrils of light to chase away the night. It was a beautiful morning, white and frozen, something that never failed to captivate me.

I sighed and asked the empty air, "_How _do I get so bloody angsty? I sound like a freaking _emo!_" I grimaced at my whiny voice and then snarled aloud, "I can't help it - I _hate _myself!" I felt the words reverberate through me, the emotions released leaving me empty, my heartbeat like a lone pebble knocking around inside an empty tin can. I stood still, breathing in deep stunning cold breaths, wincing as the pain returned. I words I spoke next, though only under my breath, seemed to escape from somewhere even I hadn't known about.

,_How did I get this way?_

_My life seems to echo_

_An empty pit of lies_

_I seem to fade in light_

_Don't look too close,_

_You might see through_

_The facade I put up_

_It kept me safe _

_Now it keeps me _

_Like a prisoner in its jail_

_I can't escape the lies I wove_

_Can't walk away from it now_

_I think I killed myself once_

_I think I actually am dead_

_Something has to explain for _

_How I feel all the time._

_But wait, the dead don't feel_

_The pain that haunts my days_

_Like needles in my heart_

_It assures me I'm alive_

_For what being dead is worth_

_I'd like to have that rest_

_Walk away from my sorry excuse_

_For a pathetic kind of a life._

I stared into the distance, my eyes distant and lost somewhere in my mind. My moment of peace was broken by a shout, then someone yelled, "I found her!"

I turned around, confused as I saw Kento sprint up to me. I was quick to push my emotions away, blocking them from being felt, long enough for me to get through another day. "What?" I asked, bewildered.

He paused and breathed before saying, "You've been out for an hour and a half, Ryo was worried he'd managed to really piss you off, woke us all up to go looking for you."

I gave him a puzzled look. An hour and a half? I turned back to the sunrise to see that it had come up considerably, evidence to my evident loss of time. Turning around, I said, "Sorry... I lost track of time." I turned and started on down the hill, concentrating on not slipping on the snow.

"Hey, hey, wait," Kento said, catching up with me. "What were you doing, anyway?" he asked in typical nosey nature.

"I was... venting..." I let my hair hide my face, not wanting to discuss _what_ I'd been venting. I guess he decided it wasn't worth it to probe, as he said nothing further on the subject.

"I'm hungry," he announced.

I coughed to hide my laughter, "When aren't you hungry?" I asked, casting him an amused look.

He gave me an innocent look, "Lots of times."

I smirked and said, "You mean directly after you have finished eating, right?"

He sulked and said, "Rowen's right, you do read minds."

This caused me to laugh. "No, its just that you guys have your thoughts written out across your foreheads."

In the house, I doffed my shoes and hung my coat up, walking to the kitchen to start breakfast, a happy Kento on my heels. He reminded me more and more of a happy dog, oblivious and joyful at all times, particularly when food was available. I noticed that Rowen sat at the kitchen table, looking grumpy and tired. I ruffled his hair up as I walked past, causing him to scowl and fix it, not that I could see any difference, his hair was always spiky and in disarray.

Using my left hand and being careful, I constructed a breakfast big enough to feed everyone, even Kento, Justin, and Rowen. Bacon, sausage, toast, and even eggs, for those that would eat them. I smirked as everyone followed their noses into the kitchen, even Justin hauling himself out of bed in search of food. I certainly didn't hear any complaints as they all began shoveling food into their mouths. I stood off to the side, cradling a mug of hot tea, coaxing circulation back into my numb fingers.

"Why aren't you eating anything?" Justin asked.

I glanced over, "Not hungry," was all I said.

"You have to eat breakfast," he said, "It's the most important meal of the day!"

"Thank you, mother," I said. "I don't think it will affect me much, as I have to take another pill and will be asleep again in an hour."

Rowen looked up from his plate, "Why are you taking more medicine?"

"When my wrist pops like that, it takes twenty four hours worth of medicine to coax it into cooperation again," I said. I picked up my mug and left the room, heading upstairs to collect the magic pills to send me to sleep.

As I'd predicted, the rest of the day meant nothing to do. The medicine made me sleep for another 5 hours, at which point I was awake only long enough to prepare Kento's lunch. Another pill saw me sleeping soundly within half an hour of that. When I was awake, I was groggy and pissy, snapping at dumb things and generally grumpy. I dragged myself out of bed that evening, reluctant to give up my warm spot to brave the cold air of my room. I shivered fiercely, hugging myself and scurrying down to make something hot to drink, hopefully to raise my body temperature back to a semi-bearable level.

"Woah, hello sleeping beauty," said Cye, laughing at my peeved expression. "Need a kiss to wake up?" he asked, grinning. I halted on my path to the kitchen and walked up to him, kicking him in the ribs. I was too cold to talk without my teeth chattering, but I summed up my words with a death glare. Cold as hell, I wasted no more time in getting to the hot tea.

In the kitchen, I found Kento lingering over hot chocolate. Good, that meant the water was already hot. As I waited for the water to boil again, I walked over to where Kento was standing and latched onto him. He looked down, surprised. "Uh, hello."

"I'm colder than the seventh circle of Hell," I mumbled. "Warm me up."

"So... Where do you want to go with this?"

I had to think for a minute to figure out what the hell he was asking that for. Then I said, "You and I both know what I meant by 'warm me up,' so quit being a pervert." He chuckled and put his arms around me, guessing that was what I wanted. I closed my eyes, content now that warmth was seeping back into my body. The teapot started to whistle, informing me that I was out of time. I grumbled something wordlessly and withdrew, answering the teapot's insistent call.

As the tea worked its magic, I wandered over to the computer and woke it up. It grumbled to life, sounding like it would have sooner fallen into many pieces. I was pleased to see my brother was online, the first time I'd seen him all week. He was happy to see me too, evidently, as he wrapped himself around me virtually. I laughed at his antics and responsed in like, he was my Big Kitty.

I found myself with Kento leaning over my shoulder, reading off the screen. "Who's that?" he asked.

I gave him a look that said, _what are you doing? _"This is my Nii-san," I answered.

He looked at the screenname and asked, "What is a Rushbox?"

I snorted. "It's a World War II radio, you underread oaf."

He blinked, "And what good would that information do anyone?"

I said, "He's got all the licenses for operating Amateur Radio, the only higher one he could get would be commercial. He's bloody brilliant." Naturally, he decided to ask me what I was doing, which meant I had to explain about the guys and why they were with us. I can't say I wasn't worried, I mean, after all, this is the guy that has been bugging me that I need to get married and have kids. I wouldn't have cared and would have brushed off the comments just as I always did... if Kento hadn't been watching.

"Why does he act like he's a cat?" Kento asked. "Does he change into one?"

I laughed, "No, sorry, we're only human. We've always joked that we're more like cats than humans, right down to how much we dislike our own race. Although he calls me a mutt, because I'm only his half-sister," I grumbled. "Says my dad wasn't a cat, he was a overstuffed flying fox." Kento howled as he heard this, causing me to sulk at him. When he wouldn't shut up, I whopped him upside the head. "Earth to Kento," I said. "I'll have you know that makes me _half _overstuffed flying fox."

"You're a what?" asked Kitty, walking up to the computer, having been attracted by Kento's unrestrained mirth.

I scowled at him as I said, "My brother called my dad an overstuffed flying fox instead of a cat."

Before I knew it, the entire room was laughing at this, while I sulked. Turning back to the screen, I told my brother what he'd started. He seemed immensely pleased with himself. I wasn't surprised at that, this was the guy that had invented all the best practical jokes to put me through during my younger years.

"I still can't believe you're an overstuffed flying fox," Kento laughed.

I'd had about enough of this. Walking over to him, I jabbed him sharply. "Do I _look _overstuffed, wise guy?"

He quit laughing, looking worried for his well-being. "No, I mean, of course not!"

I jabbed him again, "Then shut _up!"_

Having successfully ended that party, I turned back to the computer. He told me about his motorcycle problems or accomplishments, how work was, and such. I only told him tidbits about the last few days for me, as most of it wasn't something I cared to repeat. Especially not the truth or dare stuff, Lord only knows what his response to that might have been. Twenty minutes later I was deep in a discussion with him about life after my college and once I'd been published. Kento had lost interest as the discussion turned serious so I was alone to do as I pleased, which I much preferred anyway.

Just as promises are made to be broken, so is peace and quiet, I found. I was startled when I felt something fly off the back of my head and whirling around I saw Kitty with a spoon and a bag of M&M's, a maniacal grin on her face. "Whoops!" she said innocently. I told Nii-san I'd be back later and signed off, getting up to chase Kitty around.

We were laughing and running all over the place and as we darted through the main room for the third time, Sage asked, "What are you guys doing?"

Kitty and I froze, exchanged identical looks, and then slowly turned to look at Sage. The next thing Sage knew was a hail storm of M&Ms that hit him, Kitty and I laughing hysterically. Ryo, sitting on the floor, watching the television, turned to see what we were doing and chortled. We promptly turned our attention to him, making him regret ever having looked up. I tapped Kitty's shoulder and pointed at Rowen, oblivious to everything, nose in a book as usual. She smirked and nodded and I walked over with the bag of candy. I dropped one on his head. He ignored me so I dropped another. He looked up just in time for me to dump out the remainder of the bag onto his head.

"ACK!" he yelled, flailing around.

I laughed said, "No eating that, Rowen, I'm not going to be responsible when you're slamming into walls in a mad sugar rush."

"Oh sure," he grumbled. "You dump candy on me but I'm not allowed to eat it."

I laughed and patted his blue head. "No worries, Rowen. Kento isn't allowed to either."


	7. Chapter 7

I was in the main room, by myself, very bored. Mary was doing school. Kitty and everyone else was who-knows-where and frankly… I was bored. I was trying to think of evil pranks but today, nothing was coming to mind.. Kitty walked into the room and since I was bored and had nothing better to do, I yelled, "Glomp!" and pounced on her.  
I giggled as she groaned and said, "Jeeze, I get glomped a lot."  
I shrugged and said, "So do I. I just decided that I would do it back, whenever it is least expected."  
"Well, now I'm going bet on the look out for it," Kitty answered. I did shifty eyes, causing Kitty to look around suspiciously. "I don't see anything," she said.  
"GLOMP!" I yelled, pouncing on her again. At her stunned expression, I said, "Nope, you didn't." Kitty looked exasperated so I went into the kitchen and got her a bag of M&M's. I nudged her. "Hey Kitty, candy!"  
Kitty's eyes lit up. She made a cooing sound as she grabbed the bag and said, "Ooh, the possibilities."  
At this point I was watching her with no small amount of worry. "If you get anywhere near as hyper as Rowen and Kento did… I might be forced to hide behind the couch.."  
Kitty laughed at this, "No, no, silly. They're not for me! They're for evil plans!"  
"Should I be scared? You're not giving them to Kento or Rowen, are you?"  
Kitty pretended innocence. "No."  
"Uh huh. Right."  
"Honestly, I was… I was… oh hell. Yes, all right."  
I crossed my arms and smirked slightly. "'fess up."  
"I was going to make Kento do tricks like a dog in order to get some," she answered, pouting that I'd found her out.  
"Hang on," I laughed, "This might be interesting."  
She perked up. "You wanna see now?"  
"Uh huh, of course."  
"I'm going to make him dance like my little cockapoopoo doggy." I grabbed my video camera and announced myself ready. Kitty cupped her hands to her mouth and yelled, "Oh KENTO! HERE BOY!"  
Kento poked his head out of the kitchen, mildly worried about what she had planned for him. "Now I'm a dog?"  
I smirked evilly from behind Kitty as I filmed the goings-on. Kitty produced the bag of M&M's that she'd been holding behind her back, shaking it enticingly at him. "I've got treats for you," she told him with a grin.. Kento was immediately out of the kitchen and walking over. "Nu uh," Kitty waggled a finger at him, putting the candy behind her again. "If you want these then you're gonna have to do some tricks."  
Kento raised one eyebrow, suspicious now of our intentions. "Tricks?"  
"Mhm," she pulled the bag from behind her back and digs into it, coming back out with a few in hand. "We'll start with the basics. Sit boy!" I snorted and Kento looked at her as if she'd lost her mind. Kitty scowled, "If you want treats then sit like a damn dog."  
At this point, Kento was contemplating how badly he really wanted those M&Ms. How much humiliation was a bag of candy worth? Seeing his hesitation, a wicked thought came to my mind. I might be a prude, but I know that feminine charms go a long way with men. I'm not dumb enough to ignore that, in the face of what would prove to be highly entertaining. Having this in mind, I interjected, "Hey Kento! Do what she says and I'll kiss you!" I couldn't help my evil smirk, really I couldn't.  
He looked between us, knowing he was being set up for something. However, he found the incentive too worthwhile to pass up. "All right," he grumbled, before plopping onto the floor like a dog doing the sit command. "Arf arf."  
"There's a good boy!" Kitty cooed at him before tossing the man a few pieces of candy. I winked at him, smiling mischievously. "Now roll over," Kitty commanded. Without hesitation, Kento rolled over onto his side, on his back, and all the way over onto his haunches. "Very good," she tossed him a few more like dog bones. I had to cover my mouth to hold down laughter and to attempt to keep the camera still.  
"Now let's go for a little harder one." The grin on Kitty's face at this point was hard to mask. "Hop!"  
"Hop?" He didn't seem to sure about this one.  
"Yes, while crouching, hold up your arms like a dog would and up on your two feet this way towards me." Kitty waved the bag of candy in front of her as motivation. Kento did as told, hopping towards us, his eyes set intently on the bag of candy. I giggled behind Kitty, still trying not to shake the camera as it filmed Kento acting like an idiot.  
Kitty stifled a giggle and then dropped a few M&Ms into Kento's waiting mouth. "Such a good boy, yes you are," she baby talked to him, while patting him on the head like a pet.  
"Bark bark?" Kento replied. I laughed.  
"Now let's show off your fancy dancing, pretty boy." She held a handful of candy up over Kento's head. "Twirl boy, come on, you can do it!" Kento, following the circular motion of her hand, twirled his body around in a circular motion until he received his candy. "That's a good boy," Kitty patted his head and then produced more candy. She moved a few paces back, avoiding tripping over me, as she said, "Now for the grand finale! Let's see you hop and twirl your way over here."  
Kento didn't look convinced. I realized he needed a little extra motivation and added, "Do it or you won't get your kiss!" I gave him a sly grin.  
Kento cleared his throat, "Woof woof." He imitated a dog before hopping a few steps and then twirling, repeating this process until he made it over to us.  
"Yeah!" Kitty cheered, petting his head and then doting him on like a prized pet. "Who's a good boy? Kento is! Yes you are, such a good boy."  
I sniggered as I turned off the camera and stowed it away. "That is SO going on youtube.."  
"Give me those," he said, no longer playing doggy. He snatched the bag away from Kitty and tossed a whole handful into his mouth. He pointed to his face, looking smug. "Where's my kiss?"  
I gave him an innocent look. "What?"  
"You know what," he motioned to the camera. "I played along with this stupid thing so now you have to kiss me. That was part of the deal."  
My hair slipped free from behind my ears and fell over my eye, causing me to scowl and impatiently shove it back. "When you're done stuffing your face, come see me." I stuck out my tongue and sauntered off. Yes, I _sauntered_, I was rubbing it in. _I think I like being a girl, _I thought with amusement.  
Kitty snatched the bag back from Kento now, pointing to herself. "Mine," she told him, daring him to take it back from her before she turned and followed me out. Kento was left standing in the room, somehow feeling gypped. I poked my head back in just long enough to raise an eyebrow and then disappear again. "You're not going to kiss him, are you?" Kitty asked me knowingly.  
I smiled and said, "Nope."  
Somehow, and I'll never know how, Kento snuck up behind us and popped up, yelling, "Ah ha! Caught you talking about me."  
"Jesus!" The bag of M&Ms went flying.  
I jumped three feet into the air, "Bloody HELL!"  
He doesn't bother to hide his satisfied grin. "I'm ready for my kiss now."  
I stuck out my tongue again, "Sorry, don't feel like doing it anymore. Have a nice day!" I turned to walk out of the room.  
I was grabbed from behind and twirled around, where Kento promptly stuck himself in my personal space, getting in my face as he said, "Not an option."  
I blinked. "Woah, you've got spine after all. Cool!"  
He smirked and nodded. "Well?" he demanded.  
I thought and then said, "Depends, how bad do you want it? I mean, I've never kissed anyone before and I'm probably terrible."  
He seemed to find this amusing. "Never?"  
I rolled my eyes and brushed off his hands. "Unless you count that thing where you dared Cye to kiss me that he got punched for, no."  
"Hm," he rubbed his chin, leaning against the wall. "So that means… I'd be the first?"  
I slapped my palm to my face, grumbling out, "Just a little slow on the pick up, are we?"  
"Haven't we already decided he's sweet but dumb?" Kitty asked, hooking a thumb in his direction.  
I snorted. "I still can't believe this, I mean… really. This is sad." I looked over at her admitted, "I kind of feel sorry for him."  
"Eh, you'd be the only one," she mumbled.  
"So now I'm the sweet but dumb one?" he asked, as if weighing his options. He slowly nodded to himself and said, "Better than what you call Cye, I'm sure."  
I laughed, "You mean the Ronin of Perverted Comments?" Kitty sniggered.  
"See, I knew mine had to be better," he seemed to find his friend's new nickname entertaining. "I might start calling him that myself."  
I shrugged, "Like I said, even Ryo is better than him. So anyway, the question still remains. Just how bad do you want it?"  
"Hmm," he said, thinking. "I don't know. I'm not sure that you're worth the trouble I'd have to go through."  
My eyebrows shot up and I threw my hands up into the air. "You harass me about it just to say it isn't worth it? Bloody hell." I turned to walk out of the room.  
Kento leapt forward, "Wait! Wait a damn minute," he grabbed my elbow to keep me there in the room. "What would I have to do?"  
I looked at him for a moment, my face unreadable. To be quite honest, I didn't want to kiss him just because it was embarrassing. However, he'd made it pretty clear that I had no option and as tough as I might seem, I'm a wimp in the face of true opposition. _Better just to get it over with,_ I thought. Having decided this, I said rather suddenly, "I think that answers my question." I had to pull him down to my level, being short as I am, by a hand on the back of his neck, before I could reach up and kiss him.  
Kento's eyes had gone wide at my action. His hands stayed held out away from his body, not sure what to do or where to put them. He was sure any other physical contact would end up with him on the floor curled up in a ball. Now, I won't joke around. I knew absolutely nothing about kissing; hence I pulled back quickly, it having lasted five seconds at most..  
I muttered an apology, feeling as hot and bothered as I'd have ever thought possible, as I backed away from him. "Sorry?" he'd somewhat regained his senses at this point, clearing his throat and standing up straight again. His cheeks held a tell-tale red tint. "Um.. I don't think you're supposed to apologize after kissing someone."  
The hair that normally frustrated me to no end by getting in my face now proved to be a relief as it shadowed my expression. I didn't know what to say, words were hard for me after living as a puppet for so long. "This is awkward," I mumbled, promptly wanting to slap myself in the face. That came out sounding a LOT like Rowen. I sucked in a breath before muttering, "I think I scared _myself_ more than anything."  
Kento had to laugh at this one. "What, were you afraid to kiss me? Come on, I'm not the Ronin of perverted Comments."  
I looked at Kitty helplessly, not knowing what to say or do. Kitty came to my rescue, saying, "All right, you got your kiss and M&Ms, go find something to do you big doofus."  
"Trust me, nothing is better than what I'm doing now," he said with no shame.  
"Move it or I'll show this tape to your friends," she said, holding up the evidence.  
Kento quickly exited, leaving me to smack my face and groan. "I am such a dumbass. I shouldn't have done it."  
Kitty patted me. "No you're not. You just don't have any guy experience and Kento is the WORST person to start with." She thought for a moment and said, "And next time, don't apologize for kissing a guy."  
I scowled, as if there'd be a next time. 'I thought I'd scared him!"  
"Are you kidding me?" she cried in disbelief. "He loved that! Well… you caught him off guard, but no, you didn't scare him."  
I rubbed my forehead fiercely and muttered, "Good, at least on of us wasn't."  
Kitty couldn't handle it anymore and she burst into laughter. "Girl, you are two kinds of weird, you know?"  
I snorted. "Come on, I want something hot to dri- wait, no, I'll pass on second thought. I'm not going into the kitchen."  
Kitty snickered. "You can't stay out of the kitchen now just because you think he might be in there. Come on, that'll just make it worse. He'll think you're avoiding him and come looking for you."  
I stared. "How do you know all of this? Or do I even want to know?"  
"I know all," she proclaimed proudly. "Plus, having guy experience helps."  
"That's a relief," I muttered. "C'mon, I want tea. I'm half frozen." In the kitchen, I was much relieved to see that Kento was no where in sight.  
"Darn it," Kitty snapped her fingers, pouting slightly. "You know, this is almost unfair in some way. How is it you're getting guy attention?"  
I shrugged. "Could it be because I don't give a damn, I'd be happier if they ignored me, and that I'm amusingly awkward?" I looked down at myself and added, "Because I know it isn't my body."  
Kitty laughed, snagging me around the neck in a hug. "Oh, you're too hard on yourself. Come on, you're not ugly."  
I sighed, blowing stray hair out of my hair, and returned the hug. "If you say so." I turned back to the teapot, humming the tune from a Linkin Park song.   
"I wonder where he ran off to," Kitty mused aloud. "You think I could get him to act like a dog again if I used Snickers instead?"  
I rolled my eyes. "You're incorrigible. Kento's too nice to tease like that, we need to get Sage." I got my tea steeping and asked her, "Do you want some hot chocolate or something?"  
"Yeah, I want something," she said with a wink and then laughed at the look I gave her. "But yeah, I'll settle for hot chocolate right now." I shook my head and prepared a mug for Kitty, dumping marshmallows into it and then handing it to her. "Thanks,' she took the mug, blowing on it to make it a drinkable temperature. "Hm, who do you want to torture next?"  
I had to think on that one. "Rowen hasn't had a good torture session yet."  
"You know I was just thinking about him. What do you want to do?"  
"I know! Let's force him to listen to some of MY music!" I grinned evilly, having a collection of the most dark, evil, depressed, hate music ever.  
She nodded at that. "Oh me likies already. This will for SURE drive him insane."  
I smirked and nodded. " I am thinking that Marilyn Manson, Disturbed, Smashing Pumpkins, Korn, and Rammstein for starters."  
"All good choices," she nodded her head in approval. "I don't think he'll make it past Marilyn myself."  
"Come on, lets find Mary." I swallowed the last of my tea and set the mug in the sink. I poked my head into the living room, saying to the various Ronins in there, "Anybody seen Mary? I need her for my evil plan." Without looking up from the TV, Kento points in some general direction. I snorted. "Thanks Kento, that was awfully helpful." I dragged Kitty through the room and up the stairs, looking to see if she was in her room again.   
"How many places she could possibly be in?"  
"She's always where you would look last, for some annoying reason."  
"Hm, so we're kind of playing hide and seek with her then," she said. "And we're seeking."  
I nodded as I knocked on her door. 'Come in,' came Mary's voice. I blinked and looked at Kitty. "Holy shit," I said.  
"Aw, that didn't last very long at all."  
I shrugged and opened the door. "Think of it this way, we can get down to our evil deeds sooner."  
"Ooh," she rubbed her hands together. "I like that."  
"Yo, Mare!" I proclaimed obnoxiously upon entering her room. "We're here with a brand new plan of evil-nature to share with you!"  
Mary looked up from Missy, who she was evidently restraining from being destructive. "What is it?"  
"We want to make Rowen listen to evil hate music!" we chimed simultaneously  
Mary nodded and grinned, saying, "I like that one, sounds quite effective. What did you have in mind?" I told her my selection and she started laughing. "Yeah, he'll be wishing he was dead by the time you're done with him.'  
"So are you in?" Kitty asked Mary now, eager to get this plan underway.  
Mary nodded and grinned, "Of course!"  
"I'm gonna need your boom box," I explained to her.  
I collected the CDs with the songs I needed and then Mary, Kitty, and I carried the player and speakers downstairs. Exchanging evil smirks, we said as one, "ROWEN!"  
Rowen looked up out of his book, "What?" he frowned as he saw our expressions.  
"So far, you've gotten off easy," I said by way of response. "It's time for your personalized torture session."  
Rowen groaned. "Oh no. What is it now?"  
I smirked. "I've selected some very special music for you to listen to." I surveyed the CDs in my hands and admitted, "Now, even I only listen to them on certain occasions anymore, since they're part of a different life, but I think you need to have an introduction!'  
His head slumped onto his book. "I'm so pleased."  
"Oh come on, don't be such a stick in the mud," Kitty told Rowen. "I think you'll like what she has picked out for you."  
Ryo looked over, "Just what is it?"  
"Korn, Avenged Sevenfold, Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails, Rammstein, Black Sabbath, and a few others."  
Ryo blanched, getting the general idea. "You listen to that stuff?" asked Sage, pulling a face.  
I gave him a look and slowly smirked. "Like you said, I've got a past on me." I didn't give him a chance to respond, returning my eyes to Rowen. "Come on, now. Don't be shy!"  
Rowen grumbled as he got to his feet and walked over, looking like he was walking to the gallows. I opened up the NIN CD and popped it in, playing "The Hand that Feeds."  
Rowen blanched, listening to the angry music that was emitted from the speakers, as I grinned, enjoying the music and his expression. Then I switched it to Cradle of Filth. THAT got a response. Rowen's eyes went wide and then Ryo went, "Holy fucking shit, what is WRONG with you?"  
Kitty promptly swatted him upside the head. "Watch your language and there's nothing wrong with her."  
I shrugged and said, "Don't worry, there are a LOT of things wrong with me. But whatever."  
"Come on Ro," Kento was staring at him now with a smirk. "You know you want to run away screaming."  
I considered which CD to use next. "hmm, now it is time for... Korn." I listened as Freak on a Leash began to play, the lyrics pounding through my head, "Every time I start to believe, something's raped and taken from me. Life's always gotta be messing with me. Can't I take away all of this pain? I try to every night all in vain." I jerked myself from the memories it was bringing to the surface and looked to see their facial expressions. Rowen's eye was twitching. Sage was literally staring, Ryo was covering his ears!  
Next came Avenged Sevenfold, a band I disliked for the most part but one song in particular had caught my fancy: "Bat Country." I particularly favored its effect, as it started off with a long, loud scream of frustration  
Kitty groaned and covered her own ears. "Not this song," she almost whimpered.  
I patted her and said, "It's ok, this is my mood music, you're not forced to stay."  
"All of them up til this song I like," she said. "I just hate this one."  
I smirked, "It's over now anyway. Consider it payback for Resident Evil the other night." I pulled out the CD and stuck in Smashing Pumpkins. Kitty stuck her tongue out at my back. "Bullet with butterfly wings" began to play. "Any better?" I asked Kitty teasingly.  
"Anything is better than what you just had on."  
I laughed and inserted Rammstein's Hallelujah. "He sings in German," I explained diffidently.  
Sage looked over, "Sounds rather... evil."  
I smiled and said, "Good, you caught on!"  
"What else would she listen to?" Kento hooked a thumb over in my direction.  
I stuck my tongue out at him.. "Careful, you're starting to sound like Rowen!" Kento visibly shudders at the thought. I sniggered and turned to my CD selection again, this time pulling out The Offspring, playing "Self Esteem" I laughed outright at Rowen's abashed expression. "Whoops, sorry, R rated," I popped it open again and removed it.  
"Aw," Kitty pouts now as the music stopped. "That was a classic."  
I grinned and nodded. "A personal favorite, but we can't let poor Rowen melt into a puddle of embarrassment; he's still got to listen to the BEST song ever, which I'm saving for last." I opened another CD case, carefully hiding the cover. I put it in and flipped it shut, flipping ahead to the song I wanted. I smirked evilly as Marilyn Manson's "This is the new Shit," began to play. Thereafter it changed to 'Personal Jesus.' "Yes," I said, "I like Manson's songs a LOT."  
"You know, I'm not a big fan of his," she comments. "And I've never heard these songs before."  
I shrugged, "Radio stations don't frequently play him, he's too off the wall." I switched CD's and added, "I'm sure you won't know of these girls, this is Jack Off Jill." I clicked ahead to "Nazi Halo"  
She listens to the music for a few seconds before saying, "Nope."  
I nodded and smiled. I put in Nightwish, playing Nemo. "Another off the wall, unknown band."  
"You seem to have quite a few of those."  
"I like them better," I shrugged. "You saw what fame did you Evanescence.."  
"I love them."  
"Meh," I shrugged. "They suck now. I'm sick of their songs that got popular and their new stuff is just... sad." I put in a new CD, saying, "I KNOW you don't know this one, this is Xandria, a goth band." I played "Save my life."  
_My soul / feels empty  
I'm drowning in my tears  
It's pain / I'm learning  
My heart / is aching  
Got poison in my veins  
In hell / I'm burning  
Save my life  
Save my life  
Let me feel you breathing  
In your hands  
In your hands  
Is the heart of mine  
Save my life_  
Kento raised one brow at the music. "Girl, you need to get yourself a new CD collection."  
I looked at him and said, "What would you suggest?" I knew that pretty much whatever he offered would get shot down  
"Um..." was all he could come up on the spot.  
I laughed and shook my head. "I'll let you get back to me on that." Seeing Rowen's pale expression I decided to be nice and end it there. I said, "Okay, that's enough for now, we'd better quit before Rowen dies on us." I patted his blue head and laughed again at his expression that seemed to be frozen on horror.  
"We're done already?" Kitty glanced around at the remaining Ronins before holding a hand to her mouth and whispering to me, "Who's next now then?"  
I looked at Kitty and shrugged. "I don't know... Hmm... Want to do something dreadful to Sage?"  
She perked up at the idea. "Hell yeah!"  
Ryo looked at us and then at his teammates and said, "Well, I think we need to go outside and train again, rather than remaining in here and being pranked by these girls." The guys stood up voicing no objection whatsoever, it would appear as if they all agreed wholeheartedly. I watched them go out, a plan hatching in my head.

I walked out the door, bo staff on my shoulders and my arms draped over it. My wrist was wrapped to prevent injury, something I disliked doing but found a necessary evil. My hair was tied up in a bun, kept there by several well placed chopsticks, to prevent my hair from blocking my eyesight. I walked down the hill after the guys who had gone to practice in the field, because today my wrist was well enough to make Kento live up to that dare of sparring with me.

Kento had just begun his stretches and warmup exercises when he noticed me. Stopping what he had been doing, he smirked and quirked on brow in my direction. Shaking his head almost sadly, he said, "You're kidding me. You're really planning on sparring with me?"

I grinned at him. "A dare is a dare, or are you chicken?"

He scoffed, "Yeah, right. Just looking out for you is all."

I offered a mock bow. "I thank you, kind sir, for your concern." Standing up, I smirked and added, "However, I'm here to kick your ass."

"Kick my ass?" He looked as if he found the concept amusing. "Somehow I doubt that."

I laughed and said, "There's only one way to find out, I think." I whipped my staff around idly. "So are you in or what?"

"Like hell I'm backing down to a _girl_," he said, leaning forward and sneering it at me. "So you got a weapon for me or do I get my own?"

I tilted my head to the side, thinking on his insult. I had to smile as I said, "Girl? Sorry, you must be confused. I'm a _twit_, I'll have you know." I tossed him another staff, saying, "Do or die, would be an appropriate phrase here."

"Do who?" he teased me.

Rolling my eyes, I took my staff and whacked his head, lightly by my standards. "You're starting to sound more and more like Cye." I dodged behind him, using my staff to block his, breathing down his neck, "That's creepy."

"Yeah well, so are you," he countered while spinning around with bo staff out before him only to have me block him with my own.

I tilted my head, smiling, as I held off his blow. "Creepy? I prefer... frustrating." I grinned as I suddenly ducked one of his swipes before coming up, planting my staff into the ground and vaulting myself straight over him. I landed somewhat white-faced, feeling the dizziness of the movement catching up with me. I didn't have time to think of that, as I whirled around and dodged a well aimed stab. I jumped and twisted, catching his staff with mine, knocking it out of my way, giving me room to jab him hard in the stomach. He felt it and as he reacted to it, I slammed my elbow into his face.

Kento stumbled back, wanting to clutch at his face and groan, but knew that would be a bad idea. He gritted his teeth, dodging and blocking my next strikes. There was no way in hell that he was going to lose to this girl.

I smiled sweetly, seeing the gleam of competitive spirit in his eyes as he stood back up, shaking it off like he was trained to do. I giggled as I blocked him and then dodged a swipe at my right side. Ah, so he thought he'd go for where I was weakest? Hmm, must do something in return... A positively evil thought entered my head, the culprit of the demonic looking grin that took over my face.

"What are you grinning about?" he asked wearily, as they circled each other. Something told him that he was not going to like whatever she had planned.

I swiped it off my face, raising my brow at him. "Not worried, are you?" I asked in an innocent and fake voice. I caught hold of the end of his staff and just as I'd predicted he yanked it backwards. It was the entire boost I needed, sending me leaping directly at him. At the last minute, I slammed down the staff, throwing myself directly behind him. Whirling around, I flung an arm under his neck, trailing my fingers across his jawline. "Now why would Kento be worried about little ol' me?" I asked him, my breath fanning over his ear.

"Because you're evil and scary," he grunted, grabbing a hold of my arm he threw me over his shoulder, but instead of letting me hit the ground Kento gripped me against him, wrapping his arms tightly around my body to keep my arms at my sides. "Now what?" There was no hiding the cockiness in his tone.

I was quiet, thinking fast. My brain seethed that I could not admit defeat, something had to be done. Then it occurred to me, who says I need arms? I smirked as I whispered, "Now what, indeed," just seconds before I dragged the heel of my boot down his shin, causing him to instantly release his hold on me. Jumping away, I grabbed a staff and hit him in the side, knocking him off balance.

Before I could land another hit on him, Kento had regained his balance and was staring me down. I moved to jab at him, to which he blocked, but refrained from returning the attack. _Defensive,_ he told himself, _not manly, but it'll have to do for the time being._

I looked at him, measuring him up, wondering what was going through his head. This was a ton of work for me and I could feel my wrist emitting dull throbs of protest. I wasn't ready to cry uncle yet, wasn't about to, as we circled each other. I aimed a stab at his chest only to have it blocked, which I responded to by twirling the staff in my hand and stabbing him in a different spot, causing him to grunt lightly. I hadn't put as much strength into it as I perhaps could; I was conserving my effort and sparing the wrist. Seeing that we had worked our way neared to the fence, I was struck by sudden inspiration. Seeing as how this was a maim-don't-kill type of fight, I wasn't heading for a punch under the chin up the nose. Break his arm, I might do, in a pinch.

I jumped suddenly, casting myself towards the fence. I leapt onto the top board, balancing for a moment, for a moment was all it took. As Kento saw my precarious position, he ran towards me to use it to his gain. Balancing with my arms above my head holding my staff at ready, I gauged his proximity and jumped up, boosting myself forward off the fence. I am no gymnast, by any means, so these kinds of maneuvers were as fancy as it got for me. I landed unsteadily, forced to duck and roll away from his staff. Lunging to my feet, I crouched now, flyaway hair getting into my face and causing me to growl. Staff held behind me, I stared back at him, my eyes glittering in mad defiance. I knew that had been close.

"Why don't you stop running away from me already," he taunted me, idly spinning his bo in his hand.

"Running?" I quirked an eyebrow. I stood up, the two of us facing each other. I smiled and said as if to a small, ignorant child, "Girls fight different than guys, you see? Less brute strength - more... how should I put it? Teasing, I believe would be an apt word." I walked calmly towards him as if he posed no threat whatsoever. "If you don't want to see me run away... then I guess that just leaves me with one thing." My smile changed to a smirk.

I raised my staff as if to hit him straight on and I saw him raise his in a defensive posture. At the last moment, I feinted and slammed the wooden staff into his wrist, forcing him to drop his. Quickly, I slammed the end into his gut with ferocity that knocked him backwards several steps, away from his weapon. I snatched it up and tossed it aside and adding calmly, "Getting close."

Holding his gut now, Kento looked up at me with a glare. He was getting his butt handed to him by a girl and this was starting to piss him off. His eyes caught the sight of his bo staff laying off to the side. Getting to it would mean giving him an opportunity and to do so he'd have to really start fighting back. The idea wasn't all that pleasing, considering he was still fighting just a girl.

I blinked and he was charging me, an entirely different look in his eyes. _Woah, this is pissing him off, isn't it?_ I swiped aside a punch and twisted away from a kick. Taking my staff in one hand, I twirled it and then brought it down on his shoulder. He winced and I dodged off to his side, taking this opportunity to grab his wrist and twist it the wrong way, yanking his arm against his back. I held it there, breathing, both of us knowing that any more pressure would mean fractures to his wrist and elbow.

He tried to whirl around and grab me but I deftly dodged in back of him. One hand holding his wrist, the other tossed my staff aside in the opposite direction from his. _Okay Kitty_, I thought, _Here comes something straight out of your head._ I reached up and trailed a fingernail down the back of his neck, seeing the instant tension in his shoulders as a reward.

"Great, so now you're going to tease me?" he threw over his shoulder with a frown. How the hell was he supposed to get his self out of this one? If he tried to whirl around then I'd just counter it by staying behind him.

"Oh, now you complain that I'm close to you?" I asked, leaning forward to let my breath waft down his neck. "A few moments ago you griped that I was running away. You have issues with decisiveness, dear?"

"Yeah, I don't know what you just called me, but whatever." Whipping around quickly, he used me being distracted to his advantage. Grasping my arm, he turned and flipped me onto my back before kicking my bo staff away. "Now we're even."

I rolled over and leapt to my feet, more hair freeing itself of the bun I'd placed it into. I grinned, "Touche, mon belle, touche!" I gave another mock bow. He looked at me, wondering what I was at. I was amused as hell, actually. Leaping out of reach, I pulled off my jacket, leaving only my black skinny tee. Relieved at the drop of temperature on my body, I was quick to counter his elbow with a block, wincing at the bone against bone. I dodged a punch and jumped over his leg, aimed at tripping me, I ducking under his arm, I caught his hand and twisted it. "Deja vu, anyone?" I asked him.

"You know, you're cute and all but you're not worth all this effort. So... I'm gonna take a shortcut." I took my fingers and caught his neck by the pressure points located on the back, digging my fingers into them. He gasped in pain and I knew I'd hit accurately. Dropping him unceremoniously, I used his momentary shock to grab my bo. When he got to his feet, I was ready and waiting, rearmed.

"That was low," he grumbled while rubbing at his neck. Ok, so that hadn't gone quite the way he'd intended. Damn this was starting to aggravate him badly. To make matters worse, I now had my weapon back and his was still out of reach. "Wati..." he seemed to be thinking on something before his eyes lit up. "You said I was cute."

I couldn't help the brief laugh that bubbled out. "Don't let it go to your head, big boy." I was getting tired and my wrist now was aching quite strongly. It wouldn't take much now to hurt it badly. That meant I had to end it quickly or else admit defeat... something I was extremely reluctant to do.

"No, not me," at the end of his resources, he decides for the direct approach. Lunching himself at me, he was surprised when he was actually able to knock me to the ground; successfully pinning me there. "Wow... now either you wanted me to do this or... you just weren't paying attention," he said, smirking at me by this point.

I blinked up at him. Now how the hell had he done that? Damn Ronin. My expression soured as I mumbled, "Now why does that for sound dirty, for some reason?" My knee shot up, hitting him where the sun doesn't shine. I shoved him off with my left arm, now being protective of my right. I bounced away before using his pain to my advantage. I leapt onto him, straddling him, my bo placed strategically against his throat and holding down his arms under my legs. "Move and I might accidentally break your neck," I said.

Kento was clutching himself, half curled up with face contorted into a look of pain. "Can't... move... anyway," he got out before groaning.

I chuckled before smiling gently, "Give up?"

"Do I have a choice?" he squeaked out in a voice at least a few octaves higher than usual.

I shook my head, still smiling. "No. And for the record, you're even cuter when you lose."

This made the corner of his mouth quirk up, his pain momentarily forgotten. "Really? Well then... maybe I'll lose to you more often."

My smile looked more akin to a smirk as I said, "Well, you've got at least three more practices with me, so we'll see how long that lasts." I got off him, offering him my left hand to help him up.

He accepted it, letting me help him to his feet. Bending over with hands on his knees now, he lets a loud breath. "Sure, just... no more hitting below the belt."

I chuckled and surprised him by enveloping him in a hug. "I'm sorry."

Blinking, Kento only patted my arm, half wondering what my real intentions behind the hug were. "So you say, but I don't believe you."

I frowned and pulled away, "Shit, I try to be nice and get kicked, how sweet." I huffed and turned away from him, but stopped dead. It would appear that we'd attracted quite a crowd. All the Ronin, Kitty, Mary, Justin and mom and dad stood there, staring at us. The neighbors had also piled out. Seeing all of them and knowing they'd been watching awoke my introverted nature. I took a step back, bumping into Kento, before I turned and literally ran for the house.

"The hell..." he watched me leave with a raised brow, honestly he couldn't for the life of him get that girl.

I pounded my way up to my room where I slammed the door shut and leaned against it. I dropped the staff that I'd inadvertently dragged back and fell pray to the nerves that I'd been blocking out during the whole fight. Nausea swept over me and I vacated to the bathroom. After having lost anything I'd eaten that day (which hadn't amounted to much) I walked downstairs, feeling tired and washed out. I needed tea, very badly.

Mary was the first person to find me. "Wow," she said, "That was awesome - hey, are you ok?"

I held up my hand, drinking my tea and shutting my eyes. "I'll be fine once I'm able to forget it all, yes. What was with the crowd, anyway?"

"Justin saw you two fighting and yelled and hollered until all of us came down with him to watch. His shouting attracted the neighbors, I think."

"Hmm," I said, swallowing more tea and praying for peace. "Mental note to turn Justin into a quadriplegic."

"Who's next? Who's next?" came Kitty's happy chanting while appearing from around the corner.

I couldn't help the smile that pulled on my lips as Kitty appeared. "Nobody," I answered her calmly. "Sorry to disappoint. I barely won that little thing out there." I walked over and turned on the faucet, letting the water run as hot as it would go. Putting my wrist under it, I scrunched up my face as the searing heat forced the muscles to unclench. I removed it after a few moments and dried it, rewrapping it tightly.

"Hm..." Kitty was tapping her bottom lip in thought now. "I wonder if I could get one of the guys to teach me how to fight like that."

I laughed. "No, they'd be concerned about training up the next world-dominating evil force."

"What if I swore it was for self defense only?" she tried hopefully.

I started laughing, leaning against the counter, holding my wrist against my chest. "Kitty," I laughed, finally getting enough air to respond, "You want to fight that bad, I'll teach you."

"Seriously?" her face lights up like a Christmas tree while clapping her hands happily with a squeal.

At that moment, the rest of the Ronin walked in, crowding into the kitchen. "What the hell was that?" asked Ryo, who was staring at me as if seeing a whole new person.

I looked at Kitty, ignoring Ryo for the moment, "Of course, just tell me when you're ready." Returning my eyes to Wildfire, I answered calmly, "That, Ryo, was me. What did you expect, I wonder?"

Ryo shrugged, "I don't know, certainly nothing like that, that was..." he trailed off, unable to find the right adjectives.

I rolled my eyes. "Mind blowing?" I offered. "Amazing? Stupefying? It doesn't matter anyhow." I lifted my mug with my left hand, taking another swallow of tea. I deliberately ignored Kento's gaze, my hostile barriers back up. I wanted them gone, before I tore into them verbally. My patience was gone, I felt humiliated and foolish after turning to see that crowd and it chafed me the wrong way.

"Um..." Kitty inched slowly over to stand by me, leaning over to whisper, "Should we be worried by the glare Sage is giving us?"

"In my current mood, they'd better be worried about me," I answered, uncaring if they heard it. "Get out of this kitchen, and I mean NOW. If you want dinner you'll clear out or I'll cut you out!" I said not caring how viciously it came out. "And no, Mary and Kitty can stay if they want. However, I totally understand if you want to leave until I get over my attitude."

Kitty said quickly, "Nah, I'm good here."

"Unfair," Kento shakes his head before turning with the rest of the guys and vacating the area.

Mary, too, chose to stay behind. I smiled, "You two are insane, but I'm grateful. I really need hate music, do you mind, Kitty?"

"What you want?" she asks while heading for the CD player.

"Give me something along the lines of Trapt's Headstrong," I answered, as I pulled out various ingredients.

"You got it," putting the CD into the player, she adjusts the volume and hits play. Immediately the song was blasting away.

I half danced, half headbanged to the song, venting my frustrations that way instead of carving into some hapless victim. I sang along as I tossed beef into the microwave to defrost, and compiling the ingredients for a sauce, pulling apples out of the fridge to be cored and peeled, and dragging out spices I would need.

"Watcha makin'?" asked Mary, watching with interest at all the stuff I was pulling out.

"Creamed beef on toast, peas, and fried apple pies for dessert." I looked over at them, "Sound ok?"

"I'll eat it," Kitty answered and Mary nodded.

I shrugged and turned back around to my task, "Ok, good enough for me I guess."

Twenty minutes later and I was singing along to System of a Down as I stirred the huge pan that held the steaming and bubbling concoction of beef and the now thickening cream. Kitty and Mary had set the table and I finished the preparations, putting food on the table. Pausing the music, I stuck my head out of the kitchen and yelled, "DINNER!"

Kento, of course, was the first to bravely enter the kitchen. "Mmm," he says while sniffing appreciatively. "What'd you make?"

I said in way of response. "Food." I laughed at his expression and said, "Creamed beef on toast, peas, and fried apple pies."

He crinkles his nose at the mention of the green little balls. "I'll pass on the peas."

I jabbed him in the gut, "Oh no you won't. You want to leave the table alive, you'll eat the peas."

Mary blinked, "Uh, is that necessary, I mean, they're only peas..."

Kento sneakily glances around for Whiteblaze now, or any animal who could he could sneak food to under the table. Just to be safe, I lured White Blaze away with his own bowl of beef, without the cream. I said to Kento, "You eat like a vacuum cleaner, you can bloody well consume a vegetable. It isn't going to kill you."

"One can hope though," Kitty commented.

Kento threws her an evil glare.

I snickered at Kitty's comments. "Yeah, yeah, we can."

"Mock me all you want ladies, but I know you really love me," he stated proudly. There is a long pause before Kitty and Mary laughed.

I stood staring at him, my nose crinkled up and one eyebrow raised high. Then I put my hands up into the air, saying in mild disgust, "No comment."

"You already said I was cute," he reminded her with a grin. "That's all the comment I need."

I walked over and whacked him on the head. "You were until your head grew three times bigger."

"OW!" he howls while grabbing at his head.

"Maybe it'll shrink back to its normal size," I snorted as I walked over to the door. "DID ANY OF YOU LOUTS HEAR ME?! GET YOUR REAR ENDS IN HERE BEFORE KENTO EATS YOUR SHARE TOO!" I turned around, satisfied that my job was done as I heard stampeding feet.

Cye strolled by Kento, stopped mid step and back pedaled. "The hell happened to you?"

"I grew a fat head."

Cye nodded as if he knew what Kento was talking about and then proceeded to walk away and take a seat.

I smirked and sat down, dishing myself up as the rest of the people entered leisurely. Well... leisurely if you were to rewind the scene and play it back again at a third of the normal speed.

Once we were all sitting and eating, including myself since I'd actually gotten an appetite with all that fighting, Justin decided to make his usual dumbass comment. "Woah! She's EATING!"

Two words: Big mistake.

I was behind him in 3.2 seconds, my hands around his throat, as I growled, "I. Fucking. Hate. You."

"What?" he cried, or whined, I don't know what to define it as.

"You idiot, you had to go and attract the whole bloody WORLD's attention, didn't you? MORON!" I released his throat and slapped him upside the head.

"Hey, hey, calm down," Ryo said, "What's the big deal?"

I stopped and stared at him. Turning around, I left the kitchen tossing over my shoulder, "I'm not hungry  
anymore."

I was sitting cross legged on my bed, head in my hands. I'd let my hair down and brushed it free of its snarls and was using it once more as a shield. I was caught between an aching need to cry and the desire to shed someone's blood. "I cannot believe how psychotic I am..." I mumbled. "I act like a bloody lunatic."

"Damn she can hit hard," Kento grouched while rubbing at his head still.

Mary sniggered at him. "You were asking for that one."

Kento grumbled things under his breath.

Mary whopped him too, adding insult to injury, before standing up. "I'm going to find Rebekah before she befriends that damn knife again."

"What?" asked Ryo, looking up.

Mary answered on her way out the door, "She'd rather tear herself to pieces than tell someone when something is wrong."

"Herself or us?" muttered Justin, rubbing at his throat.

Mary looked back at him, "Justin, she's a total ball of nerves. Didn't you see the way she shot towards the house like the devil himself was behind her? Come on, she lived in isolation for seventeen years, she can't handle people."

Kento snorts. "She seems to handle us just fine."

Mary snorted, "Sheer force of will. Why do you think she freaked out when you were in her room that night? She spends most of her time terrorizing you guys so bad just so she doesn't have to face how she feels and act, as she thinks, stupid and shy."

"Hey you know, I think I speak for everyone here when I say that we'd like her better that way," Kento says while looking around at his friends who nod.

"Not me," Kitty counters. "I think watching her beat the hell out of you guys is fun."

Mary gave him a look. "Oh yeah? I dare you to go up and deal with her now. I can guarantee you she won't hide behind that particular mask."

This seemed to stump Kento. "You mean... she won't beat me?"

Mary snorted, "More likely she'll try to hide from you."

He gets up from the table now, food gone from his plate except for the peas. "I will gladly take that over the other."

Mary looked at Kitty as he left the room. "You know... without women, men would have died off a long time ago."

"I know, too bad they don't," she hooked a thumb over at the other men present in the room.

The Ronin glared at the two girls and Justin scowled. "Women," he grumbled. "Stupid things." Mary whopped him for that one.

Kitty gripped the knife in her hand while glaring at Justin. "What was that?"

He paled and said, "Shutting up now."

I walked over to my box of odds and ends and after a few moments of digging, found the object of my search. It was a photograph, a very old one, of my older brother.

Kento knocked on the door, nervously twiddling his thumbs and waiting for permission to enter.

I blinked and looked up, thinking it was Mary. "Come in." I stared at Kento's face for a few moments before ducking my head and wishing like hell I'd asked who it was.

"Hey, um... Mary said you would hide from me and ah... I just came to see if... well... if you would and yeah," he stumbled out while nervously rubbing at his arm.

I looked up, my face showing my confusion. "Pardon?" _Why is he up here? And what was that about?_

"Nothing," he waved his hands as if to wipe clean everything he'd just said. "Forget I said anything."

I shook my head, not understanding his behavior. I set the photograph down and stood up, facing away from him. "What do you want, anyway? Coming up here takes guts, I'd think." I cursed myself in Spanish, I sound like an IDIOT! I shook my head and sat down on the edge of my bed staring down at my bare feet.

He idly swung his arms at his sides. "Yeah, I guess I do have a lot of guts."

I felt my temper rising, desiring to lash out like a whip. Why was he even here? I didn't want him here, I didn't want to have to hide and I didn't want to break down in front of him. "What.. do you want?" I felt my voice crack as my emotions conflicted, grating against each other like the plates of the earth. I put my head into my hands, just wishing he'd go away.

Mary poked her head in and gestured to Kento that he needed to say something, not stand there like an oaf. "I just..." he said, while taking his cue from Mary. "I wanted to see how you were doing. That's all."

I bit my lip, slowly running my hands through my hair and shoving it back. I stared at the wall, wishing like hell I knew what to say. "Besides wishing I'd been drowned as an infant? I'm fine," I said bitterly. "Shit," I said a few moments later. "I shouldn't have..." I broke off and said to no one in particular, "I wonder where my .22 is now?"

Kento's brow slowly rolls up at this, unsure if she were being funny or serious. "Ok, well, I'm going to go get seconds since the tank isn't full yet. I'll be back to check on you."

"Fine," I snapped.

Mary grabbed Kento's arm and dragged him out giving him a dirty look before walking into my room

I was surprised when something soft and warm and purring was pushed onto me. I blinked and looked up to see Mary handing me Missy. I smiled in gratitude and accepted the cuddling bundle of warmth. As Mary left, I was curled up with the kitten who was happily kneeding my stomach

Kento was smirking when Mary came back out into the hall. "What was that about her hiding from me?"

Mary said, "Her hair was down wasn't it? She _was_ hiding, you oaf." Jabbing him, she said, "Didn't you hear her start crying? God, I ought to skin you."

He held his hands up at that. "For what?"

Mary growled lowly so she wouldn't be overheard, "Because you didn't say anything, she immediately would have assumed that you were judging her and she would have put up every barrier she could find. Since she's so drained from fighting you and then making dinner, she can't do it as seamlessly as normally, hence, your presence sent her off her rocker."

"Well I didn't know that," he said in his own defense. "I'm terrible with social anythings."

Mary growled and shoved him towards the staircase. "Idiot."

"Hey," he protested while beginning to head down them. "No need to get touchy, I'm a getting'."


	8. Chapter 8

Hello all!

I know, I spent all day working on this chapter for my fanfiction instead of my novel as I should have. However, this one's been weighing on my conscience for a while since I had deliberately left out a specific scene from the last chapter. I added it in here, I just felt it would fit better to do things in a slightly different order.

Anyhow, I apologize for any mistakes in POV that I may have missed, I was very careful in checking.

Thanks for reading

**Chapter Eight: Sage's Sister has a Rebellious Stage**

That morning when everyone filed into the kitchen, looking sleepy and hungry, they were brought fully to their senses as soon as they looked towards the stove. I heard the first shout of surprise, prompting me to turn around, enticing another cry of shock.

The reason was my hair – I'd been unable to sleep and had decided it was high time for a change. A hair cut, leaving my dirty blonde hair layered and with bangs, hanging in messy tendrils all over the place, was dyed electric blue for about two inches from the bottom up. It was all over the place, wavy or straight, in my eyes on my shoulders. I had also pulled out my goth clothes and applied dark makeup around my eyes, completing the look.

Crossing my arms over my chest I said, "Good morning to you as well."

"What happened to you?" asked Rowen, staring openly.

I rolled my eyes at his original question. "I couldn't sleep last night and I needed a distraction." I turned back to the pan where I had bacon frying.

I felt someone tugging on my hair and as I turned to deliver pain to whoever the culprit was, Cye commented, "Now, _this_ I like."

I elbowed him in the gut and said, "Get a life, Perv."

Sage walked in and blinked at me. I smirked and cross my arms, taking a defiant stance. "Sorry Sagie-poo, I don't look like your sister any more."

He nodded and walked towards the table. "Good."

As everyone delivered their comments or expressed their surprised, I mused aloud, "I would have done orange… but I'm not big on that color."

Kento cast me a sly look. "I wouldn't want you to be my sister anyway."

I paused after setting a plate on the table and put my hands to my hips. "You're right," I said, surprising everyone. "It would sound way worse as 'Sister killed brother' than 'Unknown Girl murdered the Ronin of Hardrock.'" Mary choked on her tea and Kitty started laughing. I grinned as Kento scowled and turned back to his place, sulking over my response.

"So why the make up?" Ryo asked.

"I'll say this one more time and after that you can repeat it yourself to answer all your questions. I couldn't sleep and needed a distraction," I said, my eyes on the ceiling.

"You look good!" Cye said.

I couldn't help slapping myself in the face as everyone laughed. "As much as I appreciate your compliments, I must confess they mean nothing coming from you," I stated, pulling my hand away from my face.

"Ouch," Rowen said. "But the truth is, now you look like my little sister."

"Really?" I asked, turning to him.

"Yeah - and that means you have to do what I say," smirked the archer.

TWACK! "Nice try, Ro."

Rowen looked sulky as he asked in an injured tone, "How was that necessary?"

"You know," I said, tapping my chin and speaking my thoughts, "For everything you guys have been through, you sure are wimps when it comes to us average-strength females." I couldn't help it, it was begging to be said. The expressions I got for that one were priceless - if I'd only had my camera to get a shot of five sulky-faced Ronin Warriors at the breakfast table. "I know, I know," I added for good measure. "I'm evil and scary." Many nods of agreement were visible. "But on the inside I'm cute and cuddly!" I proclaimed. I can't say I was surprised when everyone in the table erupted into laughter. I pretended to pout, "Meanies." At their hysterical amusement I grinned and stuck my tongue out at them before walking out of the kitchen.

An hour after breakfast as Ryo herded everyone outside to train, I lingered, feeling unsure. My body was still tired from yesterday and I wasn't clear on how much more stres my wrist would be able to withstand. Also, I could tell that my concentration was shot. I'd been awake all night, as a hopeless insomniac, and I was an unrested, bleary-eyed zombie instead of Rebekah.

Naturally, Kento looked back to see what was keeping me. He saw the indecision on my face and couldn't resist taunting, "Scared?"

His cocky grin made my mind up for me. I scowled and picked up my bo staff. "Come on, Teddy bear."

"What?" he asked. "What did you call me?"

"Teddy bear, or would you rather I changed it to Ronin of Softies?" He was gaping at my teasing and I smirked. "I actually wasn't going for that effect but it is rewarding nonetheless. Now come on, today we're doing this back in the woods - I'm not going to do this for everyone else's entertainment." All I got was a mute nod from Kento, still flabbergasted that I'd called him a teddy bear. What's so bad about that? I guess the big bad Ronin of Hardrock isn't accustomed to being grouped together with soft things of comfort. Well, he knows me now, so he'd better get used to it, because he IS a softie.

Down among the trees, I looked around, in search of a decent area to fight in. The trees were good, I could use them to my advantage, though climbing required two arms, not one. True to my word, I wasn't going to attack him in any below-the-belt manner or otherwise tease him, since my previous attempts had proven useless. Oh well, I guess it just goes to show he doesn't like me like I thought he did. It was almost disappointing but I felt safer that way.

"What are you thinking about?" Kento asked, eyeing my just a little bit worriedly.

I shook myself from my thoughts and said, "I'm just not sure if my wrist is going to hold out."

He understood immediately, "You shouldn't do this then."

I grinned at him, "Aw, that's sweet Kento. Consider that you're passing up the opportunity to squish me after yesterday's tactics and see how willing you are to give up this match."

Kento stared for a moment and then in a laughing voice asked, "What are you gonna do, let me win?"

I raised an eyebrow. "What, make it easy? I never said that. Just think on it, I slept for maximally half an hour last night, my wrist is very weak and I'm generally slow and weary. What does that leave you with?"

He smiled and said, "It leaves me with 'this match won't be any fun' is what I get."

I snorted. "Very nice. Are you willing to do this or not?" I picked up my bo staff and swirled it above my head, testing my arms to see how weak they were. Not bad, all things considered.

Kento grinned. "Yeah, let's do this. I kind of like the idea of squishing you, as you put it."

I lower my arms, holding the staff in front of me defensively, giving him a wary look. "Careful dear, you're acting creepy again."

He smirked and began the fight, bringing his staff towards me at lightning speed. I blocked it and winced at his strength, pushing it aside with much effort. "I am?" he asked, his grin cocky once again. "I thought I was a teddy bear?"

I laughed as I knocked his staff away and hit him across his chest, dodging to the left and evading his aim. "Think of it like a favored teddy bear whose eyes light up red in the dark one night. _That_ kind of creepy." His staff connected with my arm, forcing me to release the staff with on hand as the pain triggered an instant reaction. _Ouch, that one's gonna leave a bruise._

"So now I'm a _favored_ teddy bear?" he said, not missing a thing.

I scowled at him and grabbed my staff knocking him backwards with a direct hit on his chest. "How many teddy bears do I even have?" I asked.

Kento gave a laugh as he ducked my next blow and caught my wrists, forcing me back several steps. "Now I'm yours?" he asked.

_Oh sheesh, this just keeps getting worse_. I released a noise of frustration and wrenched my arms free. I dragged him to the ground by his forearms and used my legs to throw him over me. Getting back to my feet, I said, "You know how I meant that just as well as I do. Stop acting cocky, you're sounding more like Cye every time we talk."

Kento actually shuddered but was quick to parry with, "Says Rowen's little sister."

I grinned at that and as he moved to hit me, I grabbed a tree branch and hauled myself upwards as if to do a chin up. Letting go, I landed on all fours and ducked a second swipe. "No way, I'm so much cuter than him," I couldn't resist saying, the mock pride so amusing Kento started laughing, giving me an opportunity to thwack him across the head. "I see nothing funny about it," I said in an injured tone, though I was grinning.

Shaking his head and grinning, Kento ran up to me and surprised me by pinning me to tree, my hands held above my head. "You're right," he smirked. "There isn't anything funny about it. You ARE way cuter than him." I blushed and stomped his foot hard, getting enough of a reaction to leap free. I dodged his blow and slammed my elbow into his face and then was knocked backwards by a punch in my stomach. "You liked that compliment, didn't you?" he asked, his smile just slightly evil.

Still trying to catch my breath I stumbled to my feet and blocked another punch, before mumbling, "Can't a girl be embarrassed without it coming off as enjoyment?"

He laughed. "Nope."

An hour later, Kento and I emerged from the woods. I was half leaning on my staff for support and cradling my wrist. Kento was limping and had his arm around my shoulder as if to hug me as we walked (he actually was partially holding me up since I flatly refused to let him carry him). Both of us were sweaty, red faced and worn to exhaustion. The red faces were more or less from the embarrassing insult contest we'd had towards the end of our fight. Kento won, as I'm sure you could have guessed. I get embarrassed way more easily.

As we approached the others, Cye turned to see us. I could see the gears turning in his head and I was quick to halt the inevitable by saying, "One dirty comment and I'll go 'Vlad the Impaler' on you, this staff will go in one end and out the other," I promised evilly. "Got me?" Cye nodded, paling slightly, and edged out of our path while trying to be inconspicuous. Kento laughed and hauled me against him. "Hey!" I whined, squirming in his grip. "Lemme go!" He shook his head, still laughing and tossed me onto his shoulder. "KENTO!"

"Ah, be quiet," he teased me.

"No, Kento, put me_ down_!" I yelled, hitting his back. He started walking towards the house, ignoring and otherwise impervious to my hollering. The other Ronins smirked at my expression, though Sage looked as disapproving as ever. I couldn't help but wonder if the Ronin of Halo had any other expressions.

Once inside, I went and showered gratefully. Oh the joy of being clean! And warm, for that matter. Anyway, I took my sweet blessed time and hearing someone trying the door knob (I hadn't been dumb enough to leave it unlocked), I said, "Bloody hell, can't you wait your effin turn?"

I heard Kento's snort and he said, "I want my shower."

"Good for you, you can have it when I'm _done_, dammit." I hauled my black tanktop over my head and then my low rise jeans, the only pair that actually fit me, since I was too cheap to buy two pairs at once. My wet hair flying all over the place, I banged open the door, Kento falling in on me. "Gah!" I yelled, tumbling backwards with him on top of me, looking equally stunned. He lifted himself up partially, staring down at me. "Get off!" I said, pushing at him. "I'm clean and you stink!" Smirking, he hauled himself upwards, before offering me a hand up. I took it and was yanked upwards, right into his face. "Perv," I said with narrowed eyes, before walking out.

By the time I had my hair dried and brushed out and was exiting my room, Kento was emerging from the bathroom, clean and damp. I blinked and then looked down with a blush. No, I'd never seen a guy without his shirt, except my Nii-san and Kento was built very differently than my brother. He laughed upon seeing my embarrassment and slung an arm around my shoulders. "Come on," he chortled, at least being kind enough not to tease me. "The guys'll be waiting." We walked back downstairs and Kento said to them, "We're back."

"Where were you?" asked Rowen, not having looked up from his book.

Kento grinned. "Making out."

"WHAT?" I turned to him in absolute shock, but it was nothing compared to the rest of their faces. "What the hell, are you delusional?"

Kento smirked at me. "Oops, didn't realize I wasn't supposed to divulge that."

My hands rose towards his throat and I said menacingly, "You are digging your own grave, buddy."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"We're going to attempt to get Sage on a sugar high."

Kitty blinked and then grinned, "Oh, now that ought to be good. I'm sure it would like some form of crack for him."

I laughed and nodded, "Here Sage, do some drugs, you'll feel much better! Hey, maybe once we get him on a sugar rush, we can get him to dance!"

Kitty giggled and said, "Oh my gosh."

"He can dance to 'I'm too sexy'," I said with a wild grin.

"Mental picture is too funny," gasped Kitty, laughing hysterically.

"I know," I grinned as I pulled out a camera. "Forget that movie of Kento, it's time for Sage to take the stand! We can make Sage eat candy! Bwahaha!"

Mary groaned at us. "Why don't you just dare the guys to go skinny dipping in the minues 30 degree weather instead? No, wait, Kitty, you would like that too much."

Kitty nodded, "I would. I'd lock the doors too."

"Steal their clothes?" I asked, one eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Yeah, while the doors are locked."

I was trying to stifle my laughter as I said, "Please note I'll be sitting with my face in a couch cushion and waiting for it to end."

"I figured that much," Kitty said. "That's why I'll be taking pictures!"

I groaned and slapped my forehead. "To give me nightmares?"

She grinned. "Yup!"

I shook my head and said, "Back to our plan. We were going to get Sage on a sugar rush!"

"Yeah!" Kitty said in excitement and then added a little quieter, "Um, this could prove to be a hassel."

"Naw," I said calmly. "We'll just bribe Cye to get some vodka."

"What's the bribe gonna be?"

"I'm not sure," I shrugged. "He's a perv, that's all I know about him for sure."

"Hmm," Kitty said, then offered. "I could offer you up as a bribe." I gave her a look like a deer in the headlights. Kitty rolled her eyes. "Not like that. It would be a get the vodka and I'll give you a kiss' kind of thing." I gave her another look. "Hey, sorry but, he likes you not me, otherwise I'd do it."

I was struck by a sudden inspiration. "I know, I'll tell him he gets a kiss so he'll assume its from me and then you can do it!" I grinned, pleased with my brilliance.

Kitty looked _thrilled_, note the sarcasm. "Fine," she said.

"What, you WANT Kento jealous?" I teased.

"Well, you DID just ruin my master plan, you know."

I considered the reaction I might get. "I could do it just to be amused by Kento's reaction."

"I'm pretty sure I know how he'd react. A little of spluttering, some glaring and then lots of ice cream."

"You guys are mean to that poor guy," Mary commented from where she was studying.

I grinned and said, "Don't worry, he'll live. After all, he isn't the one we're filming." I turned back to Kitty, "Ok I'll do it just to see it."

Kitty laughed and clapped her hands. "Yes! I hope there's enough ice cream. Something tells me a carton just won't do."

I laughed quietly. "In January up here? We have none."

"Oh man. We're gonna be in trouble then. Cookie dough?"

"None."

"Shoot. Hmm... he could go into a withdrawl, like a druggie needin a fix, with no ice cream or cookie dough to drown his sorrows into." Kitty thought and added, "Eh, maybe we could con Cye into picking some up at the store."

"Then I'd have to kiss him twice," I said, pulling a face.

"Hey, double the fun!" she teased, then said, "Nah, I wouldn't do that to you. One from you and one from me. He's a perv so it shouldn't matter."

"Good," I said with relief.

"So is that the plan then?" she asked and I nodded. She said happily, "Then lets find us some ronins!"

"Whee!" I said, skipping out of the room to find Cye.

"Kento had better deliver," Kitty muttered while following after me.

"I'll say," I seconded before we emerged into the main room. "Oh CYE!" I called. Cye looked up from the TV, evidently concerned with our beckoning him. "We have a preposition for you," I said.

Cye stood, looking wary as he said, "A what?"

Kitty rolled her eyes, "We want you to go to the store for us. You know, get a few things."

Cye crossed his arms and said, "What things?"

I grabbed his arm and dragged him into the kitchen, out of Sage's hearing range. Kento was in there but he was ignored. "I need you to go get a bottle of Vodka so we can prank Sage."

Cye looked at us, not convinced of this. "What do I get out of this?" This caught Kento's attention who curiously came over to us.

"Hm, now what was that we were willing to do?" Kitty turned to me, while tapping her bottom lip.

I huffed and said, "Get us a bottle of Vodka and I'll give you a kiss."

Cye perked up, "Ok, no problem."

"Now get us a couple cartons of ice cream to go along with it and... I'll kiss you too," Kitty mumbled the last part out.

Kento waved it off, at this point not convinced that I'd really go through with what I'd said. Cye was standing with stars in his eyes, obviously in fantasy land somewhere sane minds wouldn't dare follow. I grimaced and said, "But if you want it, hurry the heck up or I might change my mind." Cye nodded and darted out, like lightning, determined not to miss out on this opportunity.

"Good lord," Kitty sighed now while plopping down into a kitchen chair.

Kento snorted. "I don't think I've ever seen him move that fast before."

Trying to convince myself that it wasn't so bad, I said, "At least he's cute."

Kento's eye twitched at that. "So what's this plan with Sage and vodka?"

"We're gonna spike his tea," Kitty proclaimed happily. "And if he won't drink it then we'll force feed him M&M's."

"Why?" Kento's brow rolled up at this.

I grinned, "I want him to get a sugar rush and do a dance impression an sing 'I'm too Sexy.'"

Kento's lips pursed together, he held one hand up, turned away and then looked back at us. "And... you're going to go through all this trouble, just to see that?"

Grinning, I held up my camera. "You kidding me? This is going on YOUTUBE!" Unable to contain it any long, Kento is thrown into a fit of laughter; double over with hands on his knees to support himself. Smirking I hid the camera in her hoodie pocket and said, "But you didn't hear anything from us, right Kitty?"

"Yeah, we didn't say a thing," she attempted to give him an intimidating stare, that only made him laugh harder. I laughed and high fived Kitty then dragged her out to find Mary.

Mary looked up as we entered and said, "Uh oh, what's afoot now?"

"We're gonna spike Sage's tea!" I said in an excited whisper. "Cye has been sent for the vodka."

Mary groaned and covered her head with a pillow. "Wake me up when its over."

"Now, now," Kitty pulled the pillow from her. "None of that."

Mary said to her, "When you've got him stripping and Rebekah is hiding behind the couch, I'll be up here napping."

I piped up, "Hey, I won't be behind the couch! I'll be on it - with my head in a pillow."

Kitty shakes her head at both of them. "Why do I feel like the odd man out here?"

I looked innocent, "What? Cye's obsessed with the opposite sex too!"

Mary snorted and Kitty raised one brow ridge at that. "Oh, so now I'm being grouped in with the perv? Gee thanks."

Mary kept a straight face, saying, "Now, no fighting. You're not in the same group as Cye, you gave up on Ryo and Sage, right?"

"Who are they again?"

"I've proven my point," Mary grinned.

I heard the door slam downstairs and said to Kitty, "C'mon, to the Kitchen, sounds like Cye's got the goods."

Mary snickered as we left, "Sounds like you're going to put crack in his cup instead."

"Best damn crack in the world!"

Sniggering, we made our way down into the kitchen, where we saw Cye set a bottle of Vodka on the table. "Ice cream is in the freezer, ladies," he said, unable to hide his smirk. Oh yeah, he felt real bad about agreeing to this.

"Quick," I said to Kitty, "Verify that, seeing as how this is the Ronin of Perverted Comments we're talking about." Kitty nodded and checked the freezer. She sighed and nodded to me, meaning the ice cream was there.

Cye put his arms out, "Give me some credit, I'm not that dumb."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yea, get over here." He walked over and I leaned up, kissing him. It was short and to the point, especially considering who it was. At that moment, Kento decided to come into the kitchen and grab himself a quick snack. He stopped dead in his tracks as he saw me and Cye, his eyes going wide and his mouth agape. I shoved Cye off as he went to put his hands on me. I grabbed the bottle of vodka and went to make the tea. I glanced back and said, "Oh, hi Kento."

His mouth moved but no audible sound escaped. Shaking his head he seems to come to his senses somewhat. "What the.. you just.. but you... why would... that's so wrong!" he finally managed to splutter forth.

I blinked at him. "What, you need a kiss too?"

He paused and considered it before giving Cye a sneaky grin and nodding. "Yeah. Yeah, I need one now too."

I snorted though I wasn't surprised. What do I look like, a coin machine? "You'd better think of a good reason first."

Kento's face fell and he turned a glare to Cye, hands coming up and making strangling gestures. "I'm gonna kill you," he muttered.

I immediately frowned, where I was pouring hot water into the mugs. Since when is one of my kisses worth killing Cye? It was only a bribe anyhow. "No need to," I said. "He'll be dead anyway if dares to mention it to anyone outside this room." Kento's hands clenched and unclenched, the look in his eyes portaying the mad urge to strangle Cye. Growling, he turned away from the man before he really did and stalked off. He grabbed the carton of ice cream just as Kitty had predicted, flung off the lid and grabbed a spoon, before eating right out of the container.

I glanced at him and then at Kitty, rolling my eyes so that he wouldn't see it. Sniggering happily at our plan, I handed the bottle off to Kitty. "Find a place to hide it, ok? We don't want anybody drowning in their sorrows."

"Like a certain someone," she motioned to Kento who has nearly at the bottom of his container at this point. I smirked and nodded. I made tea for everyone else too, so that Sage wouldn't get suspicious, singing 'I know what Boys Like' which had oddly enough just popped into my head. Hiding the bottle behind her back, Kitty carefully stepped around Kento who's head was now buried into ice cream heaven, stashing it safely amongst the cooking pots in one of the cupboards.

I took the tray of tea mugs into the main room, remembering that the one with the dog on it, and began to distribute them. Sage was handed his and he accepted it without looking up or speaking. Walking out, Kitty and I shared secretive smiles

Cye walked up to Kitty and tapped her shoulder, "Forgetting something?"

"What? Oh..." begrudgingly, she reached up on her tip toes to kiss him on his cheek. "There, now run along."

I laughed, seeing Cye's disgruntled expression. "You deserved it, you ass."

Cye glared at her before grabbing Ryo's tea and drinking it for him. Ryo said, "HEY!" But did not get it back. He grumbled and returned his eyes to the TV.

Another round of tea, more vodka for Sage, and results became visible, if only slowly at first. He looked kind of saggy eyed and as if he was looding control of his facade. With a nudge, Kitty motioned to Sage. "I think he's just about there."

I grinned and said, "One more dose, I think." It wasn't too hard to convince him to take another at that point, in fact he just took it without her having to say anything. Cye tripped on Ryo's foot that was jutting out, falling flat on his face. Everybody turned in amazement at the sound coming out of Sage - laughter! I turned on the camera, content that he was drunk enough for the show to begin. I handed it to Kitty, "Can you handle this? I want to coax some candy into him."

She gave a salute while holding the camera up. "You got it."

Grinning, I walked over to Sage while producing from somewhere behind me a bag of candy. "Oh Sage?" she said in a calm voice, as if nothing were out of place. "Want to try something really tasty?"

At this point, Ryo looked at Cye, Cye looked at Rowen, Rowen gaped at Cye, and they all pretty much figured out that us girls had done something weird to Sage. Just what however was beyond their scope of imagination. "Sure, what the hell?" slurred Sage, reaching for what I was holding. I grinned and offered him a piece of chocolate, trying to keep a straight face was too hard. It didn't appear to matter, however, as Sage seemed to like what he was getting fed and accepted another piece afterwards.

Sage, never having consumed sugar to begin with, gave an excellent response to the rush it send to his brain. At this point, he was bouncing in his seat, eating candy. I handed him the bag and went over to the CD player and inserted Right Said Fred, playing "I'm too Sexy" at full volume. I motioned for the other guys to be quiet, as Sage bobbed around to the song at first.

"I'm too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my shirt, so sexy it hurts," sang Sage, bobbing his head from side to side. It hurt, I found, to hold in the laughter that was bursting to be released. She clapped and he got up off the couch, dancing to the song, attempting to look sexy. "I'm a model, you know what I mean, and I do my little turn on the catwalk," he literally shook his ass, causing me to double over in silent laughter. "I'm too sexy for my love, too sexy for my love, love's going to leave me!" he pulled off his shirt and danced around more, his exposed now to the videocamera that Kitty had set on the shelves, aimed at him. "I'm too sexy for your party, too sexy for your party, no way I'm disco dancing! I'm a model, you know what I mean, when I shake my little tush on the catwalk, oh, the catwalk."

Kitty clapped her hands, cheering him on for more while trying hard to not laugh too loudly. As it looks like he's getting close to stripping off more of his clothes, in front of the ecstatic Kitty and completely stunned Ronin, I dodged back into the kitchen, doubling over in laughter. "Omg, that was SO worth kissing that disgusting pig!"

Sage smirks at Kitty as he writhed and in general made it clear he really DID think along these lines. He dances around her now, smirking as he sings, "Too sexy, I'm too sexy." Kitty covered her mouth with both hands, desperately trying not to laugh. It was too funny and almost... disturbing watching this. Sage slung an arm around her shoulder, still singing and sort of dancing, if it could actually be called that.

I looked up to see Kento and said, "Oh dear, you're still sulking in here?"

"Not sulking," he muttered, belching loudly and tossing the empty ice cream carton in the trash and spoon on the table.

I walked up and snaked an arm around his middle. "You ate all that ice cream?" He looked down and nodded. I pouted, "That's not fair - I wanted some."

He pointed back at the fridge. "'Nother one in there if you want it."

I laughed and shook my head. Pulling away, I stretched, ignorant of how my shirt rose up along with my arms, exposing my flat stomach. A yawn escped my lips. "That prank was great. Now I've only got one more thing to do."

"Yeah?" he seemed to be coherent now, the sugar rush slightly forgotten while staring at her. "What's that?"

I tilted my head back at him then turned around and said, "Get you to quit pouting!"

He scowled at her. "I am not pouting."

I walked up and slung my arms around his neck, leaning up and said, "One kiss says you are." I smirked ever so slightly. Okay, so Kitty's influence was definitely showing itself.

A grin came to his face. "Ok, so put up the kiss and then we'll see if you're right."

I cocked an eyebrow at this but I pulled him down with my hand on the back of his head and kissed him. My other hand found its way to his jaw, as if moving without my brain giving it a command.

A flash goes off and then Kitty's triumphant laughter can be heard. I groaned as I pulled away, "I'd know that evil laugh anywhere..."

"You know..." a pondering frown was on Kento's face, "I'm sure that the two of us could get that camera."

I looked at him, "What are you thinking?" This very well could be interesting.

"Well... seeing as how I'm bigger than her and you're smarter... I'd say chances are good that that picture could disappear."

I giggled and said, "Considering that Sage is currently drunk and on a sugar high, yeah, I think so too. C'mon, you've got to give Sage a shove in the right direction."

Kento cracked his knuckles. "A shove I can do."

As Kento convinced Sage to go hang on Kitty, I kept a sharp eye on where the other girl was with the incriminating evidence. I smirked as Sage drunkenly wrapped his arms around Kitty from behind, picking her up and toting her over to the couch as if she only weighed five pounds. Quickly, I ducked over to the bookshelves where she'd set the camera at the last minute. "Yes," I said, as her hands closed around it. Quickly, I located the photo and erased it, before snapping one of Sage on top of Kitty. I gave Kento a thumbs up, indicating for him to go ahead and restrain said Ronin of Halo.

Kento stood back, watching it all unfold before him with arms crossed over his chest and smirked. "Do I have to?"

I rolled her eyes _He's probably still pissed she interrupted his kiss_, I thought with a snort and I walked over, slapping Sage upside the head, HARD. "Yo," I said to him, "Get the hell up!"

Sage looked up at her before obeying, obviously beginning to regain some of his whits. Scratching at the back of his head, he said, "Um, sorry?"

I looked at Kitty and helped her up. "Sorry, but all's fair in love and war," I smirked, waving the camera before tucking it back into my pocket.

Kitty glowered at me. "How was that fair? I just got mauled by him!"

I grinned, "No, you got cuddled by him, there's a difference."

"I think she liked it too," Kento throws in with a wink. Kitty advanced on Kento, intent on drawing blood.

I jumped between them quick to diffuse the situation with, "Come on, we have a video of Sage making a complete idiot of himself, what more do you need?"

She stopped while remembering Sage dancing around like an idiot and singing. "I guess nothing."

I relaxed and said, "Good. C'mon, lets go put it on the internet before he's coherent enough to stop us!"

She snickered, "Like that would happen."

I grabbed Kento's arm and said, "Come on, since you were in the ktichen sulking the whole time, you have to watch it." With that, Kitty, and Kento and I went up to Mary's room, intent on our mission: ruin Sage's reputation.

"Have I been in her room yet?" asked Kento.

I smirked, "Come on, I can protect you from the big bad dragon."

Kento snorted. "Like I'm afraid of her."

I opened the door and dragged Kento in without another word, "Guess what!" I sang out. "We bring evidence of a crime well committed!" I hooked the camera up to the laptop and downloaded the track, then opened it and it began playing for Kento and Mary's amusement.

"Well I'll be damned," Kento said and let out a less than contained laugh. "He can dance."

I said in mild disgust, "Shaking your ass is not dancing." I covered my eyes, "It's disturbing."

Kento said, "Hell, it's disturbing Sage doing anything outside his norm."

"My eyes are burning," I commented, "Tell me when its over."

"It's over," Kitty told me, only to have me pull my hand away and still see Sage 'dancing'. "Whoops! My bad," she said.

"I think God hates me!" I groaned again and pushed my face into Kento's chest. "Hide me."

Kento patted me on the back. "It'll be okay."


	9. Chapter 9

Okay people - chapter nine is finished at LONG last.

It is officially the longest chapter yet and I had to bug poor LG and Kitty for much help with this one. I'm greatly appreciative of their help! As a result, this chapter is finished and laid before you to enjoy. Tell me your thoughts

* * *

When I was preparing breakfast the next morning, I was unsurprised to find Kento hovering over my shoulder. His presence was beginning to grate on my nerves as he wouldn't get out of my personal space. "So what do you think Sage is going to do?" Kento asked, trying to sneak a finger of pancake batter.

I slapped his hand and waved my whisk in his face menacingly. "Do that again and you'll come back without a finger, comprende?" He nodded, transfixed by the whisk. I snorted and turned back to the batter. "To answer your question, I have no clue."

"You're not worried?" Kento asked, looking as if he thought I was insane.

I looked at him and said, "I don't know what he'd think he can get on me. Come on, this is the wall ornament we're talking about."

Kento snorted at my description of the blond Ronin of Halo. "Better not let him hear you talk about him that way."

"I-" I stopped and smacked Kento's hand that was once again aiming for the batter. "Knock that off or I'm giving your share to Rowen!" I threatened. Kento retracted the offending limb and tried to look innocent. "As I was saying," I continued, shooting him a stern look as I poured batter into the hot pan. "I don't care if he does. After all, what's a little more fuel on the bonfire?"

Ryo came into the kitchen having materialized from heaven-only-knew where, he heard the comments and gave a snort, "Be careful...Sage may come across as cold and aloof...But, he isn't as quiet as he appears."

I looked back at him, "Oh, I can handle puff-head."

"As you have already demonstrated," Ryo wasn't contesting it, "Just don't be too surprised when he handles you." Ryo then rolled his eyes, "Kento? I wouldn't do that if I were you; she seems to be even more aggressive in the kitchen than Cye."

Kento tried to look innocent as my eyes landed on him. "Do what?"

Ryo merely chuckled and excused himself to the living room; where Cye was trying to convince Rowen of the value of playing checkers...Which seemed totally lost on the archer.

I flipped a pile of pancakes out of the pan, the smell of breakfast permeating the house. "If that doesn't get their attention, they don't get any," I commented to the room in general.

Cye tilted his head, "Explain something to me. If you're the one with people issues, why's the other one confined herself to her bedroom?"

Ryo gave a snort, "Because she got bored of us most likely."

I said, "Because I have unresolved anger that I need to vent on something." I gave them a look that meant I wasn't joking.

"Cye's volunteering," Ryo cheerfully announced clapping his teammate on the back. Cye gaped at Ryo, Ryo smirked, "You're the one trying to constantly hit on her; she needs to punch you back. Fair's fair."

I grinned and clapped my hands, "All right! Now we're getting somewhere!"

Kento muttered, "Somehow this is just unnatural."

"Dude, we wear mystical armor, how is THAT natural?" Ryo raised an eyebrow

Rowen patted Kento on the back. "No one said he was the brains of the outfit."

I set the pancakes and syrup on the table, unable to resist commenting, "And you are?"

"Sometimes I wonder about yours, Ro," Ryo commented, "Anubis! You're a man!" Cye burst into laughter.

I laughed, "Yeah, well, good old flower-pot-head deserved that one." I blinked as I got weird looks. "What? He's spring, all I could think of was flowers sprouting out of his helmet!"

Ryo sniggered at that, "Oh man! I want to see the look on his face after someone calls him that...So..." Ryo paused, "Who wants to go and get the other girl that's barricaded herself in her room? And has that attack kitten?" He seemed to visibly shudder, and Cye sniggered.

I raised a hand. "I think I'd better be the one to get Mary since if any of you go bug her, you'll come back out a gelding."

"Sounds good to me," Ryo seemed visibly relieved and sank down into a chair; Cye seemed to have paled (neat trick for him)

I patted Ryo on the head. "Its okay, mullet head. You get to fetch Kitty."

Cye was now howling in laughter and Ryo want about as pale as Rowen typically was, but he gave a nod, what sounded like a whimper, and went off to go find Kitty

I sniggered, "That was priceless!"

"Mhm," Cye gave a nod in agreement

I looked at Cye, "You realize that you're his backup if he doesn't make it back."

"Fine by me, she doesn't happen to be ga-ga about me," Cye gave a shrug

"Doesn't mean she won't make you the object of our next horrible prank," I commented. Again, Cye merely shrugged his shoulders, he didn't seem to care all that much. "Meaning, we're going to film you and Sage making out." Rowen choked on his pancakes. I smirked and added, "Enough sake and you'll do anything."

"And deprive Rowen of his one true love?" Cye sounded aghast, "That's simply cruel!"

Rowen flung a hot pancake at Cye, "Really, he just doesn't want to be caught cheating on Ryo."

"No, hate to tell you this Ro, but Sage is with him too," Cye easily responded, "Gay love triangle anybody?"

Kento was on the floor laughing so hard he could barely breathe and I waved my hands in front of my face, "All right, I really don't want to know anything more about you guys' relationships. If you're all happy gay warriors, whatever, just please - my virgin mind is burning."

"Bloody hell, you're no fun at all," Cye gave a pout; Rowen was just...Poor Rowen. "You remind me of Ryo in that respect," Cye added with a snort

Ryo came back with Kitty, and he looked well...His eye was twitching again. I smirked and said, "Good boy, have a treat," I tossed him a stick of gum. "Now be a good dog and don't piss on the floor while I go get mother Mary." I laughed as I ran out of the room to get said girl of doom.

Said girl was sitting on her bed, typing away on the laptop and could hear someone come up the stairs, "Come in," she loudly delcared having heard whoever it was stop at her door, "Unless you're one of the four male baboons stuck here for only a few more days."

I poked my head in and smirked, "Nope, all of them chickened out so you get me instead."

"Yay!" Mary happily chirped, "What's up?" There was a snort from the corner, "Baboons? I thought you said they were amoeba?" Mary shrugged, "So Darwin messed up and evolution occurs whenever it wants too. Don't look at me, I'm just the messenger." Sage gave another snort, this one a half-laugh.

I said, "Breakfast is ready! And Sage, your lovers are down there having a bickering match over you, do you think you could please just pick one and end it once and for all?"

Sage gave what sounded like a low chuckle, and eyed Mary, "Should I?" Mary gave a smirk, "Go ahead." Sage actually grinned, and looked at his almost constant tormentor, "No problem, I know how to settle it."

I raised an eyebrow. "Ok then. Hurry it up, and come on Mary, Kento'll eat yours too if you don't move it."

"Not really hungry," Mary responded getting to her feet, "But I'm not missing this." Sage casually made his way out of the room and down the stairs. Mary grabs her best friend, "Come on, you'll love this." I laughed and followed her.

Sage reached where the others were and let out a whistle gaining their intention, "All right I have come to a decision. Rowen it's just not working, Cye...Well you know the deal so, understand and deal with it. Ryo, we are getting a divorce and my lawyer said I was entitled to something so I'm getting White Blaze." Mary burst into giggles as the others just out right gaped at the swordsman. Who was this, what had happened to Sage? "Further, I'm staying with her," Sage wrapped an arm around Mary who couldn't help herself and burst out laughing

I almost fell over I was laughing so hard, "Mary, I never would have guessed, but I should have known - it's another one of those, need what you can't have impulses isn't it?"

"Maybe," Mary wiped at her eyes. "It was his idea, I just gave him a little encouragement." Sage chuckled at this, gave Mary a high-five and then sat down at the table rather pleased with himself at the dumfounded and baffled faces on his friends.

"What the hell did she do to you?" Ryo blinked.

Sage gave a shrug, "We talked."

Kento jumped up, "Well, hell, if he gets Mary then-" he slung his arms around me, lifting me into the air. "This one's mine!" My face was pure evil.

Sage snorted down a laugh, "I don't think you'll make it to a first date."

Mary sniggered, "He'll be dead within the next 10 to 15 minutes."

My arms crossed over my chest and I said very coolly, "Kento. Put. Me. Down."

Kento, who had evidently grown a spine a some point in the night, responded with, "Nope."

"That's it. You're dead." I dragged my heel down his shin and as he released me, slammed my elbow into his gut. Whirling around I kicked him hard, satisfied when he crumpled. "Now, do I honestly have to repeat that again or did you LEARN this time?"

Sage coughed, "Hardheaded" and then coughed again; Mary whapped him in the back of the head and gave him a reproachful look and the swordsman merely snorted and shrugged his shoulders.

Ryo was watching this, "Oh Kami, they bonded."

Kento got up and limped over to his chair, "Ok, ok, just don't hurt me!"

I gave him a dirty look. "No promises."

Cye chortled at that comment and at Kento's misfortune. I gave Cye a look, "That goes triple for you, perv."

"Strict hands off policy," Cye said holding his hands up in surrender.

"Ya right," Ryo snorted out

"That's about as likely as Rowen never picking up another book for the rest of his days," I added dryly.

"Technically, I could just use a laptop," Rowen fired back

"You and I both know that isn't the same as a book," I said calmly.

Sage rolled his eyes, but made no comment at all he merely ate was on the plate in front of him; most of it, the rest he handed to Rowen to eat. Mary ate some of what was on her plate and handed the rest over to Kento, "Because you're drooling."

Kento grinned his appreciation and ate it, commenting, "I like her more, actually."

I smirked as I leaned against the wall. "That's good - Mary doesn't cook."

Kento looked up. "Er.. I'll pretend I didn't say anything."

"You don't?" Ryo asked incredously. Mary rolled her eyes, "I know how to cook a few things, but I don't happen to enjoy it. She and Mom do," she points at Rebekah. "And at least I didn't burn a pot of water, or almost blow up Mia's house," she added as an after thought, watching in satisfaction when Ryo's ears got red and Rowen went completely red in the face

I laughed hysterically, that was awesome. "How do you know all of that?" Cye demanded.

Mary smirked, "Oh I know some much more embarassing things than just that."

"Like what?" Cye sounded indignant.

"Oh you wearing your sister's undies to school by mistake...Elementary school I think."

"WHAT?!" Cye squeaked. I sat on my ass laughing so hard my face was turning pink

Mary looked at Rowen who was having too good of a time, "Mr. IQ 250 got an F on a test once. Got all the questions right on the test, he just didn't put his name on it."

Kento was howling. "What about the others?" Kitty eagerly asked

"Oh will do Kento-kun next," Mary grinned, "He once drank spoiled milk, because he learned that's where they got yogurt from." I laughed at Kento's dumbfounded expression. Ryo was just shaking his head, and Sage gave a snort, then winced when he saw where the odd-know-it-all girl was looking right at him "Sage mm, there are two that come to mind," Mary mused, "Oh well, I'll do the less embarassing one. He was really rebellious when he was little. Took one of the family swords and played with it, completely destroyed one of Date-jii-sama's bonzais. Old fart never noticed cause there was a tulip placed there." Sage rubbed at the point in between his eyebrows...And Ryo had laughed but now was worried about what would happen with him. Mary was just waiting for someone to ask, or comment, she took a sip of her drink

I smirked, "Come on Mary, don't top there!"

Mary gave a shrug, "Ryo's the only one of them that didn't do something embarassing before becoming a Ronin Warrior." The other guys did not look thrilled to hear this, she sniggered, "He saved it for during the war!" Kitty looked up eagerly, waiting in anticipation. "Oh that's right! They have no idea what you went through in order to get them do they?" She smugly asked Ryo, who leapt up and slammed a hand over her mouth. His ears and face were very red

I walked calmly up to Ryo and said, "Now, now then, quit being a dud or I'll kick your ass worse than I did to Kento."

Kitty said, "Do it! Do it!"

Ryo stared down the girl in front of him, and then let out a yelp and retracted his hand, "She bit me!"

Mary wiped at her mouth like a cat would, "Took that one out of Missy's page. Seriously, Rebekah, what was your favorite Ryo-made-a-fool of himself, moment?" Mary queried in a sing-song voice, "I have several."

I said, "I'd have to say when he found the most insulting name he could call the SunDevil was 'Bug Eyes'."

"I'll go with him jumping off a cliff after telling Blaze he'd be careful," Mary commented. I burst into laughter.

Ryo let out a groan and sank into his chair...Wondering if he could melt into the carpet. "Course my all time favorite, is one you haven't seen yet," She continued, "He tells Sekhmet that his mother wears army boots."

I could only gape, "What?"

"What kind of insult is that?" Sage chuckled not bothering to hide his amusement

"Shut up!" Ryo grumbled out

I whacked Ryo, "You'd better be quiet, considering how much of an idiot you act like."

Ryo glared at her, and said to the other Ronin, "See, I should have left you guys in a suspended state and gone after Talpa myself. Then I wouldn't be here and suffering through this."

"No you'd be dead," Mary agreed. Ryo gave a nod, "Exactly."

"I was actually surprised he didn't try it," I commented.

"JIN's his guiding virtue," Mary shrugged, "It's in his nature to help others; leaving them stuck wasn't exactly within his nature. Sage would've left them."

"Mhm," Sage nodded

Mary blinked, "You're not supposed to agree with me."

I laughed out loud. "Sage, you're a lost cause."

"My virtue is supposedly wisdom," Sage said with a grin, "It would've been much wiser to leave them where they were." The other four Ronin gaped at him

I laughed hysterically. "Well, of any of them, at least Cye should've been left."

"No, Rowen," everyone said simultaneously, and the archer gave an indignant huff and walked over to the living room, picked up a book and sat down with it. Mary chortled

"I still say Cye," I protested. "He keeps hitting on me. I think he deserved to be left behind."

"Rowen's out of his element, normally he's worse than Cye," Ryo paused, 'Oh man, didn't mean to make that pun..." "Ya right," Kitty snorted

"I have one thing to say to that - he and Cye can have each other."

"Mm, there's a hate-hate relationship for you," Mary mused. Sage opened his mouth and was about to say something very un-Sage like, but Mary quickly clamped a hand over his mouth, "Please don't say that, thank-you."

"You two are creeping me out," Ryo announced

I smirked, "No, Sage, keep your S&M comments to yourself."

Kento choked hard on something - must have been air. "And don't you say anything," I shot him a look. "You're acting more and more like a masochist every time I see you."

"I say we call Elayne and she can get them back into line," Mary announced watching them cringe, "Oh please don't tell me she actually exists here too?!"

I looked around and said, "Mary - just so long as Serenai doesn't, I think we'll be ok."

"Ya, because those two would get along way too well," Mary shuddered, "Okay, Ronins scram, I have dishes to wash." Kento blinked and didn't hang around to wonder why he'd been spared the dishes.

I looked at Mary after they'd left the room and commented, "I'm rather surprised that Sage hasn't done anything evil to me yet."

Kitty looked up and said, "Yeah, what's he waiting for? Is he just that unoriginal?"

Mary gave a cough, there had been a reason she wanted to do dishes, "Don't think he doesn't already have it formulated out. He does."

"What do you know?" I prodded.

"Heh, I only got a heads up because he's polite," Mary grumbled, moving to start washing, "He informed me, that even though I did not have a direct hand in the events, I was still responsible. So." She shrugged, "I did argue that he was a full-grown man, fully trained in bushido, bearer of a mystical armor, and he ought to be wise enought o know when he's being gipped."

Kitty blinked, "You're kinda avoiding the question, aren't you?" she raised an eyebrow

Mary shrugged, "Ask my shadow." She jerked her thumb at Sage who had come back into the room, she added, "Stalker!"

I sighed and said, "Yeah, well, I've got one too." I coughed as Kento poked his head in.

"At least he's cute and cuddly," Kitty offered, "Instead of prickly." Sage's eye twitched and Mary chortled

I coughed violently at Kitty's comment and I saw Kento smirking. "Don't get any ideas," I warned him. "Because I'm about as cuddly as a venomous snake."

"You should meet Sekhmet then," Sage offered and Mary threw soap suds at him

Kento leaned against the door jam, "Nah, they wouldn't get along. Opposites attract, remember?" I kicked him.

"But it'd make Cye jealous," Mary chimed in

I slapped a hand to my head, "Ungh, please."

Kitty decided that she'd had enough of the suspence and looked at Sage, "All right, what've you got planned, Mr?"

Sage gave a wide grin, "We're all going out later."

I looked at him warily. "Just what does 'out' entail?"

"Dinner and a show," now he was practically beaming

"See he does smile, only when he's up to evil," Mary commented. "And there are so many Sage fangirls that would kill me for that statement," she mumbled under her breath

Kitty said, "That's ok, Rebekah'll hold em off with her sniper rifle." I smirked a little.

"I know, I'm safe," Mary beamed, "Okay since puffer won't spit it out; we're going to suffer with karaoke."

"But everyone's going to participate," Sage added with a smirk

I choked and said, "We're going to what?"

Kitty groaned, "Oh dear lord."

Sage was very pleased with the effect, "I'm sure you girls can find a way to enjoy it." He casually slinked out of the room

"He suggested we get Cye very drunk," Mary elaborated.

I started laughing, "I do NOT want to know what Perv acts like drunk."

"Ask Kento, it's his best friend," Kitty piped in

Kento shifted uncomfortably. "No comment." Mary laughed at that.

I walked up to Kento, "So, what are you singing tonight, mr. you need a new music selection?"

Kento looked at me and said innocently, "Geez, give a guy time to think, would ya?"

"What are you going to sing Kitty?" Mary cheerfully queried

Kitty blinked and said, "Um..."

I said, "What am I the only one who knows what I'll be singing?"

Mary waved the question off, "I have the perfect idea, but I'm not broadcasting it." She paused and heard commotion from the living room, "Well, Sage told the rest of them. At leat tonight will be amusing if nothing else."

I listened for a moment and sniggered as I heard Rowen comment about what he'd be singing. "Hey Mary? You might want to go... um... cave his head in about now."

"He suggested a Smash Mouth song, didn't he?" Mary moaned out and I nodded. "He might almost be able to pull that off, anything else, and well, I'll make sure he doesn't sing," she grimaced

"I'd never be able to listen to 'pet names' again," I said

"You and Kitty will have to think up of something terrible for Cye to sing," Mary grinned

"I know," I said, my eyes going bright, "I've got the PERFECT ONE!"

Kento looked at me, "This can't mean anything good."

"Entertainment for us though," Kitty beamed

I walked up and gathered them nearby, "He's got to do The Offspring's 'Pretty fly'"

"Oh no!" Kitty laughed, Mary shook her head, "I'm bringing the camcorder."

I clapped my hands, "Oh yeah, and Sage is going to do," I lowered my voice even more, "'Just like you' by Three Days Grace." Both Mary and Kitty laughed at hearing this; the song was practically made for him. I sniggered at Kento's expression. "Do not say a word or I will put your spleen on display at the Smithsonian Museum," I warned him. Everyone took a vow of silence on that matter. I grinned and said, "Now that we have that settled..." I heard Cye belting out some particularely crude lyrics, "We can go kill Cye!"

"Let's refrain from cheering too loudly," Mary sniggered

I smirked and said, "All those in favor of his head on a stake in the front yard, say 'I'!"

"I!" cheered Kitty

"I guess so," Mary shrugged, she had different personal preferences when it came to violence apparently

I laughed and said, "ok, we'll take a vote."

"No, no, you're right the front yard is looking a little bland, it needs some sprucing up," Mary said, "I just think a pike would be more tasteful."

"Ah, what about a naginata?" I offered compromise

"We can use Kento's!" Kitty chimed

"That sounds good," Mary nodded

Kento shuddered, "I'll pass."

I looked at him, "Dud."

"Kill joy," Mary said with a nod

He looked at me, "What do I get out of this?"

I narrowed my eyes, "You are pushing your luck. You want it to be YOUR head on the naginata?"

Kento held up his hands. "I was just asking a question!"

"Stupid question," Mary and Kitty commented. Mary looked at the clock, "Okay you all have fun, I'm going to go rob my bean bag chair back." She walked into the living room pulled it out from underneath of Ryo gave him a look that said say-anything-and-die, and curled up in it.

Ryo blinked, "Is she a cat?"

"Ya," Cye blinked

"Stop with the blinking," Sage told them both, putting a magazine half-way down to look at them

I walked in and commented, "Cye, you sing one more verse and I'm going to jam Kento's naginata down your gullet."

Cye blinked again and then shrugged, "Oookay, fine."

"So what are we going to do to pass the time?" Ryo queried

I crossed my arms in front of my chest and caught Sage's evil look. "Don't even THINK about it," I said, "You'll have enough fun at my expense when you put me up to sing in front of a crowd of people."

"Oh it'll only be us," Ryo snorted, "You live in hicktowne KY. Like they know what a real karoake bar is?"

I snorted, "Bad enough."

"As about as much as you know what a real brain is," Mary affirmed, Kento was hysterical

"Ouch you're rough today," Cye complained

"I'm not touching that, I could but I won't," Mary said "And," she threw something at Sage, 'It's all his fault."

I laughed and ducked as Sage threw it at me. I stuck my tongue out at him. "I've got better relfexes than that, puff brain."

"How's it his fault?" Rowen asked, intrigued.

"Because he kept me up half the night, cause he wanted to talk," Mary grumbled, "I can't believe he's capable of talking that much...I assumed he was capable, but nothing like that. He should've gone out to the woods with Justin," she lamented

I snorted, "As if he could've hauled Justin out after dark."

"He's a walking light-bulb for crying out loud!" Mary exclaimed

"I love you too," Sage quipped, I was in hysterics, barely breathing I was laughing so hard.

"Sage is a Lightning bug!" I declared

"Rebekah," Sage had this look of total calm on his face, a slightly annoyed expression and he went, "Bzzzt."

"Hey, can I put him in a jar?" I asked hopefully.

"That's just creepy," muttered Kento and Sage went back to his magazine after giving a chuckle; totally intent on ignoring the world around him

"Sure then we can put him in the hallway socket, and you'll have a night light!" Kitty chirped

I waved that away, "I can't sleep with anything other than pitch black."

"Hallway, so you and Mary went need to leave the lights on, so you don't fall over the bannister," Kitty explained

"Aah, okay," I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that would work. He'd just better not make creepy noises when I go out. If he does I'll pick up the jar and shake it."

Mary had made good on her nap threat; Cye gave a snort, "All right devious minds. I'm with Ryo, what are we going to do to pass the time?"

I looked at him warily, "You'd better not make a suggestion, because if you do..."

Kento slung an arm around my shoulder, saying, "That's okay, I'll make it," he said. "Lets go be alone, hon."

If I were a cat, my ears would have been flat back against my head. "Kento," I said, murder in my voice. "You're pushing your luck, pretty quickly here you're going to be my least favorite Ronin, pushing Cye up on the list."

"I know, let's make them watch an anime," Kitty offered up with a grin

I looked up from where I was removing Kento's arm with two fingers. "Which one? Oooh, duh," I said.

Kitty beamed, and Sage warily put down the magazine, "I have a bad feeling about this."

All three of us smiled that same evil smile. "It's time for 'Yoroiden-Samurai Trooper' hour!" I said in a sing-song voice.

"WHAT?!"

I smirked, "What? You thought I was going to have you watch Chobitz? Come on."

Needless to say, the next few hours as we blew time by watching anime was nothing short of torture - for them. Mary, Kitty, and I were hsyterical as we made them relive their past one episode at a time.

"'It's a girl!' Rowen, you're scary how all-knowing you are," I snorted. Rowen sulked and I laughed at his facial expression. Well, really, they were all sulking. Ryo looked ready to become one with the carpet, Sage was glowering from the armchair, Kento looked peeved and Cye and Rowen were sitting with serious eye twitches.

Mary grinned as the episode went off, "All right, that's all we'll submit you to for the day. Tomorrow we'll finish it off."

Ryo groaned and got to his feet, "I need to go kill myself now and get it over with before we have to watch any more of - that."

I elbowed him, "Wimp," I said with a laugh. "Are you scared of your reflection too?"

"Oh you have no idea," Cye said, getting to his feet.

Kento snorted, "That was horrible."

I looked over at Kento and then laughed, "Yeah, I agree - but it always serves to cheer me up when I get depressed. You guys are excellent comic relief!" Kento blinked and scratched his head, unsure what to take that as. I whacked him upside the head, "It was a compliment you unfortunate oaf."

"Quickly followed by an insult," elaborated Mary with a laugh. "She's got this down to an art."

I gave a mock bow, "But of course!" I said.

Kitty grabbed my arm, "Come on, you need to get ready."

I looked at her as she half dragged me from the room, "Ready for what? Oh shit, you're not thinking what I think you're thinking... are you?"

She just smirked and hauled me up the stairs. "We'll see."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was in Mary's room playing with Missy. Why? Because I was nervous about having to go on a stage and sing, annoyed with Kitty's choice of clothing for me - she'd rummaged through all of my stuff until she'd found something she was satisfied with - and generally I was being anti-social. Actually, I almost always feel that way but it was bad enough today that I was acting on it and the result was that I was hiding in Mary's room and occupying my time there with a certain wannabe-tiger.

Missy was hopping all over the place chasing my hand as I trailed it across the bed covers. I had at this point gained several battle scars as evidence of my brave battle with this kitten. She wrapped her entire body around my hand and wrist, biting and scratching ferociously. "Ouch," I hissed and disentangled myself, a fresh slice across the back of my hand releasing droplets of blood. I rolled my eyes and commented to her, "You're out for my hide, aren't you?" I yanked on her tail playfully and she dove for my hand as it scuttled across the bed, intent on vengeance.

Thirty seconds later I had a kitten on my shoulder, her claws in my hair and attacking me with all the ferociousness of a savage beast. "Bloody cat," I scowled as I attempted to remove her claws from my neck. "Would you mind not bleeding me to death? Thank you!" I got her off and held the culprit before me to stare her down. "Little monster," I informed her, receiving a dirty look in response.

The door opened up with the result that Missy leapt free of my grasp and went skiing to greet Kitty. She promptly attacked the girl's toes, causing me to emit a snort that sounded more like a cough and a laugh combined. Kitty yelped as sharp claws dug themselves into her toes, "Ow!" she said, "What is this, the attack cat?" I nodded and grinned as Kitty removed the fluffy beast from her flesh, trying unsuccessfully to contain her. Kitty shooed her away while trying to keep her fingers attached to her hands. "You," Kitty said, pointing at the me and trying her best to look as intimidating as possible, but it was hard with the smile desperately trying to burst out across her face. "You're coming with me. Resisting is futile."

My expression showed what I thought of her act. "Uh huh. And just what is your plan if I decide not to cooperate?"

Kitty grinned and stuffed her hands her pockets, rocking slightly on her feet. "I'm going to get my back up: Kento."

I groaned and flopped back onto the bed. "Why me?" I asked the ceiling. "What did I ever do to God to deserve this?"

"And you're talking to yourself now... why?" she asked and comes over to the bed, taking a hold of the my hands and pulled me to my feet. "Come on, it's gonna be fun!"

I muttered, "I wonder if I can fake laryngitis."

"We'll make you lipsync then," Kitty told me happily. "And you'll have to dance."

"You are evil," I informed her. "But you knew that, didn't you?"

"Yes," she chirped with a grin, not ashamed of it either.

I grumbled and walked down the stairs, promptly shoving Sage out of the chair and taking it myself. "Man, what's her issue?" Cye asked.

"More to the point," Ryo said, "Where has she been? Normally she's down here harassing us."

"Must be performance nerves," Sage commented with an evil grin.

I crossed my arms and ignored them. When I get this way I just won't talk, if I'm forced to it comes out moody and snappish. I closed my eyes and pretended they didn't exist while I awaited my doom.

Kitty laughed, "Yeah, performance nerves. He'd know about those, that's why he needs vodka to get him going."

Mary smirked and commented, "I would leave her alone if I were you guys, she very much enjoyed Elayne's line about putting sleep aides in drinks."

Ryo looked at Mary uneasily, "She wouldn't actually do that, would she? Where would she get something like that?"

"I know had to use herbal aids to overcome my insomnia," I said suddenly, deciding to scare them. "I know a certain concoction that you'd never detect and would make you all VERY sleepy."

"If Elayne did it, do you think she wouldn't? And I doubt the armors would be able to filter out what she has in mind as quick," Mary commented further, flipping through a textbook

They looked at each other and then at me, though I refused to make another comment. "Well," Kento said. "I'm glad this wasn't my idea."

Sage said only, "She's not allowed near my drinks." The others nodded in agreement.

I groaned and opened my eyes, "You dolts, I never said it had to go in a beverage. Who, I wonder, cooks all the meals as of late?" Their eyes got wide like saucers. I snorted and leaned back into the chair, closing my eyes again. "You guys are easy targets. So who's driving this crazy bus anyway?" I asked the room in general.

"You don't want me driving," Kitty commented.

"Mm, I nominate Kento!" Mary said.

" ...He'll just take us to the nearest Chinese Buffet," I laughed.

"We don't want Sage driving, unless ya'll feel like having the Indy 500 on KY I-75," Mary said.

"Actually... that sounds kinda like fun," Kitty mused.

"Rowen?"

"Oh hell."

Ryo held up a hand, "I will be driving, thank you very much."

"NO. The last thing he drove he killed," Mary snorted as we laughed.

"Mary drives then," I said.

"I'll drive, gimme those keys," Mary seized them from Ryo's hand.

"Someone really wants to drive the freak-mobile," Kitty said with a shake of her head.

"Ah, well, Mary's good with crazies," I said.

"Talk slow and plain right? Make no eye contact."

"I don't want to die, get pulled over cause some idiot is speeding, end up in a ditch, or a buffet, or the nearest strip-club," Mary said, eyeing Cye with distaste. "And as long as my Dad is not in the passenger seat next to me I'm fine."

"That's for certain," I snorted.

"So... who gets shotgun?" Kitty asked.

"I was going to rob the swiss army knife..." Mary mused.

Sage stood up and walked towards the door, "Rowen does, he has to be the navigater."

"The hell he does, I know my way around town thanks. Seeing as how the last time he had a map, the thing had a hole in it, and some of you took a tumble off a ricket bridge."

"Let the largest person have front," Kitty suggested.

"...which is who?" I asked, unsure if she meant weight or height.

"Yo man," she said with a devious grin.

"Sorry, I don't have a man Kitty," I said with a pointed glare. Kitty just grinned back.

"I can deal with Kento," Mary said. "Rowen I will put out the window. Anybody other than Kento I will put out the window; Sage I'd tie to the roof-rack."

"OH! Can we please anyway?"

I laughed, "Alright, come on already. Otherwise I'll make good on my threat and possibly poison a few of you."

"Just make sure you spare the good ones," Kitty said as she climbed in.

I rolled my eyes, "Are there any?"

Mary waltzeed out to the vehicle and jumped in, tired of the bickering and already dreading the drive. "And if ANYONE acts up, they are WALKING!"

"I'll get back to you on that," Kitty told me.

I got in and said "If Cye or Rowen sit by me they will exit the vehicle as geldings."

Kento stopped mid step into the vehicle. "Well I WAS going to sit by you... by now I can't after that."

I raised an eyebrow, "What, I said Cye or Rowen. You're not a pervert."

"I know, that's why I want them to sit there," he clarified. "Wanna see em get gelded or whatever the hell it is you said."

I slapped my hand to my face, "Its always a good sign when a guy wants his best friend gelded."

"Kento remember?" Kitty said and pointed to said man as if that should be enough and climbed in the back.

I laughed, "Whatever. Lets get this miserable experience over with, please? Yo Mary!" I yelled up to her, "Get this crazy bus on the road!"

"I'm trying, who's the idiot that, gr," she jumped out, after popping the hood, "Ah that'd do it," a tinker and clunk later... "Okay valve was loose, now move you

damn thing or I'm going to start with the human sacrifices," Mary warned, she turned the ignition and it started.

Ryo crossed his fingers that it would start, not wanting to be a human sacrifice. Kento immediately pointed back at Cye, "Him first please."

Just to be really evil, knowing Kitty and Rebekah were well prepared for her mischief, she put the thing in reverse and slammed her foot down on the gas. It went out with a very quick zoom. I laughed as the guys were flung forward and then back

"WEE!" Kitty holds her hands up like on a ride,

"Somebody's an aspiring race car driver!" I said

"Sage, you got some competition now," Kento said from the front seat.

Mary put the thing into drive, "Meh this is like driving a tank," she pouted, "How am I going to speed in this sucker?"

"Lose some weight by tossing Kento out of the car?" she offered.

I poked Kitty in the back of the head, "No, Cye. And I'll buy you a racecar when I'm filthy rich," I promised Mary

"All of them need to be thrown out," Mary quipped

"Feelin the love here girls, feeling the love," Kento mumbled.

"Your boyfriends can make it up to you later," Mary snorted.

I twitched, "Kento, be very glad you're out of my reach."

He asked in confusion, "Why?"

I looked at Kitty in amazement, "How has he survived this long?"

"No longer a stallion, snip snip," Mary elaborated. I snorted at Mary's remark. It took him a moment, but Kento finally got it.

"You got me," she shrugged. I crossed my arms and leaned back, still sulking that I had to do this. I was in debate about what I would sing, because I'd heard an old

Irish song I was very tempted to do. "Are we there yet?!" Kitty called out from the back just to annoy.

"My Uncle does that shit, and I don't like him," Mary said coolly

I groaned as Mary parked in front of the building boasting of its karoake bar. "I cannot believe this," I grumbled.

Mary got out of the van, "No worries, I'll get 'em on the way back. More abrupt stops I think, almost got Rowen to go through the front windshield that last time." I looked at her, a grin that was more evil than anything else worked its way across my face and I practically skipped inside. Mary ignored the frightened looks, and indifferent one she got from Sage, and headed inside as well

Sage walked into the place, rather impressed that no one stopped to look at him, "I'm starting to remember why I like this country."

I snorted, "He just wants to stay so he can date Mary."

"Cause you're just a freak, instead of blonde-hair violet-eyed demon freak?" Rowen queried causing Cye to crack up.

Sage smacked Rowen in the back of his head for his evil comment. "She wishes," he snorted.

"I'll date Talpa first," Mary announced.

"Hey Mary, we need to get the Warlords to visit," I said. "THEN you and I would have fun!"

"Oh, as long as Kayura gets to come and help," Mary grinned.

Rowen choked and gagged, "Not her." I laughed and nodded

"Oh you know you love her, give it a rest," Sage snorted out, before Mary could.

Mary pouted, "The blonde-haired, violet-eyed demon freak stole my line!" Sage's eye twitched but he made no comeback to that, Mary beamed in triumph

"You remind me of someone," Rowen dryly commented.

I had to cover my mouth to stifle my laughter as we found a table. "Don't look at me, An-chan was not based off of me, she was based off of her," Mary pointed at me, saying with a grin, "Which is why they act so very much alike."

I smirked at them. "I dare you to make a comment," I said.

"Oh hell," Rowen grumbled in complaint.

Sage gave a snort, "It explains EVERYTHING."

My smirk widened. "So you realize you're all in for it, right?" I said. "Considering that Sage decided we needed to participate in this crude form of entertainment."

Cye dropped his head onto the table whining, "But it wasn't my idea!"

I shrugged, "You've given me cause beforehand." Mary snorted but said nothing

"Eh, this ain't so bad," Kento waved our whining off. "Could be worse."

I looked over at Kento, "Are you trying to bring my evil genius down on you too?" I asked giving him a menacing look.

He leaned over, smirking slightly and said, "Do your worst."

"Oh, don't worry," I said, leaning back in my chair as if he were the least of my concerns. "I will."

"Not so sure that was a good idea Kento," muttered Cye.

He waved it off, not seeing or not caring about the threat. "I'm not worried."

Cye looked incredulous, "You're going to end up with food poisoning or something, and you're not worried?"

I looked over at Cye, "No, worse than that, actually, but I won't give it away early."

Kento looked over his shoulder at me before leaning closer to Cye with hand held to his mouth. "See, I'm not worried because I know she won't do anything to me."

Cye said uneasily, "I wouldn't count on that if I were you, she's scary." Kento waved him off with a shake of his head. Cye said, "Nice knowing you, then."

Kitty asked now, "What are you boys conspiring about over there?"

I answered, "They're debating over whether or not I'm going to actually torture Kento." Kento mouthed 'she won't' looking very confident of this. I leaned over to Kitty and whispered, "He's very close to being sedated and then colored on with my entire stash of permanent markers."

"I get to put a smiley face in the middle of his forehead," she whispered back.

I nodded and said, "Deal."

"Use bright colors," Sage told the two of them

I smirked, "No problem, I have the entire rainbow at my disposal."

"Nice," Sage said with a nod

Kitty asked with a raised brow, "Did he just... talk to us?"

"There's something wrong with you," Rowen added to Kitty's comment

I shrugged, "He's crazy, not mute."

"I dealt with you guys for most of my teenage years, how could I avoid getting permanently messed up?" Sage asked Rowen.

"Omigod, he DOES have a sense of humor under all that hair!"

"The hair's to protect what brain matter I have left," Sage commented, "Which I fully admit isn't much."

I patted Sage on the head, "Well, blonde's normally aren't smart, so you'll fit in just fine."

"So," Cye said, looking warily between us, "Who's going to sing first?" I tried to make myself invisible, wishing I was anywhere but here

"Ryo's going first," Rowen announced.

Mary gave a nod, "Cye's next!"

Ryo's eyebrows shot up, "Me?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes you," Rowen, and Mary told him.

"Freaky," Sage muttered under his breath, letting out a yelp when Mary slapped him in the arm

As Ryo received definitive glares from the rest of us, he reluctantly rose from his chair. "Seems like Sage ought to suffer first," he muttered, looking like he was going to his death.

Kitty said, "Oh don't you worry, Sage will get what's coming to him soon enough."

Cye gestured for everybody to be quiet as Ryo got on stage, still looking as happy as a wet cat. "Shh, this is gonna be good."

I snorted, "Like hell it will be."

"Actually he can sing," Mary offered, picking her head up from where she had it resting in her arms.

I blinked in surprise as I recognized the song coming on, "He's singing Poets of the Fall?" I asked in surprise.

"And has good taste in music," Mary looked impressed

"Wow," I said, "Who'd have known?"

"All right Kitty, you do have good taste in men," Mary announced patting her friend on the back

"They're locking up the sun, the light of reason gone, n' hope has been succesfully undone The question's burning on, where is it coming from, no-one seems to know the monster born," he sang, his voice was good.

Rowen blinked, "Where the hell he'd come up with a voice like that?"

"Where'd you come up with all your horrible lines?" Sage countered.

"Your's were not better, dynasty jerks, bucket heads, blowing the popsickle stand," Mary told him with a yawn; Sage gave a pout.

"Holy shit," I breathed, elbowing kitty, "I'm stealing him!"

"Na uh," Kitty hooked a thumb over at Kento. "You get him."

I waved her away, "Nope, I want Ryo! That's man's got a _voice_!"

Kitty shrugged at this, "Fine then, if he picks you then you can have him."

I snorted, as Ryo sang, oblivious to our continued yacking. "Well, if Kento can do even half that good he can have me!" I said jokingly.

"Be very careful," Mary warned, "He might expect you to honor that. Then again he isn't Cye," she frowned, "Hmm."

As if his spider sense had started tingling, Kento swings his head over in there direction, "You talking about me?"

I stuck my tongue out at Mary, "Doesn't matter, in two days they'll be history and I won't have to worry about him any more."

"Nope just some other Chinese Ronin Warrior that looks like you," Sage told him.

I snorted, "I'm divorcing you Kento, I'm marrying Ryo!"

"True, and wow he's showing that rare sense of humor of his," Mary blinked, "So not like him."

"Rebekah it'd be cheaper without the divorce," Sage dryly commented.  
Kitty checked his glass to make sure that there was nothing alcoholic in it. "Huh... strange, and he's clean too."

"Polygamy anybody?" Rowen chirped

"You be silent," Mary told Rowen in warning

I snorted, "It's expensive enough to feed one man, why the hell do I need two?"

"Because the first wouldn't last long?" Kitty offered.

I rolled my eyes, "What are they? Matches?"

"Okay Too Much information, enough," Mary groaned out

"Wow is there a prude in there?" Sage poked her, and she swatted at him

Ryo rejoined us looking slightly redfaced and he flopped into his seat, "That was awful."

"Look who's talking Mr only guy celibate at however the hell old you are," Mary retorted, saying to Ryo, "Babe you knocked 'em all flat."

Kitty chimed in with, "Rebekah wants to marry you now."

Kento smirked, "Wait til she hears me sing."

Ryo's eyebrows shot up, "Well, I guess that's better than wanting to kill me."

I looked at Kento, "You're still in the negatives, here."

"Wanting? I thought she had planned on it," Rowen asked Sage who simply shrugged

I waved them off, "I was planning on how to make Cye's death look like an accident. I just had a strong inclination to hang Ryo from the back porch."

"Short enough that you could pull it off," Mary commented

Ryo's eyes widened, "I think I'm much more happy about karaoke now," he said. "I don't desire to be stretched, thanks anyway."

"But I don't want a dead midget hanging off the back of my porch, so sorry, hang him in the trees," Mary added

"Tell your redneck neighbors he's a Japanese deer?" Sage queried with a chuckle and Mary gave a nod, "They'd believe it."

I hugged Ryo, "Nope, he's too talented for that."

"Thankfully," Sage gave a nod, "Which is more than I can say for a few members of our team." He actually gave a light laugh.

"Sage, you're CREEPING ME out," Mary boredly told him, "So go back to being cold and aloof."

"Aw but you said you loved me better this way," Sage gave a grin when she just stared at him.

I made a face, "Ew, you're creeping ME out now!"

"Rebekah, I think hitting him with the bokken was a bad idea on my part," Mary said blinking.

I said, "Eh, I'll finish him off tonight when they're drugged and asleep."

"Who's going next?" Sage ignored them

Ryo decided to intervene, "Cye, get your ass up there and suffer."

Cye's face slowly turned to a grin and he jumped up and walked eagerly up to the DJ. "Why do I not have a good feeling about this?" I asked.

"Because it's Cye, and his sense of humor is about as bad as Sage's," Mary grumbled out.

"Worse," Ryo said, "Cye's a perv to go along with it."

"Not what you were saying last night," Sage taunted.

"I said a lot of things last night," Mary waved him off, "Doesn't mean I meant anything." Rowen's mouth was on the floor inbetween the Ronin table and the one next to it

I blinked as I heard the music playing, "He's doing the Offspring?" I said, stunned. "This IS scary."

"Oh, not just the offspring," Ryo said, as he began to sing. "It's 'Pretty fly'."

"Oh Kami," Sage moaned out, "What a freak."

_You know it's kind of hard _

_Just to get along today _

_Our subject isn't cool  
But he fakes it anyway _

_He may not have a clue _

_And he may not have style  
But everything he lacks _

_Well he makes up in denial!  
So don't debate, a player straight_

_You know he really doesn't get it anyway_

_He's gonna play the field, and keep it real  
For you no way, for you no way_

_So if you don't rate, just overcompensate_

_At least you'll know you can always go on Ricki Lake  
The world needs wannabe's_

_So do that brand new thing_

I groaned slightly and I looked over at Kento, "You're his friend, how did he ever learn that song?"

"Internet," he answers simply.

I said, "He needs to be banned from access."

Kento replied, "Already taken care of."

Sage gave a nod, "He tries it and the fingers will be broken."

As Cye rejoined us he had a wide grin on his face, "So - watcha think?"

"Ryo still rules," Kitty commented.

I nodded in agreement. "That was scary."

Cye looked to the others, "Really?"

"They didn't like your selection," Kento added.

"I thought it was highly entertaining," Mary commented. "If nothing other than to see them all cringe," she added.

Cye brightened at Mary's comment, "At least you enjoyed it." Rubbing his hands together, he said, "So who goes next?"

Mary pulled out the ear pod, she had in her ear, she had wisely brought her mp3 player, having hidden it quite well, "I say Kitty."

I nodded, "Kitty's turn!"

"I say Sage," she retorted

"Only fair for a girl to go next," Rowen chipped in

"You shut up," she snapped at him

"Oh, go on," Cye said, with a smile

"Kitty we all have to go sooner or later," Mary told her, "You'll be fine; I'm the one that's tone-deaf and rythmically impaired. Which is why I'm going last," she added

"Fine," Kitty grumbled in defeat, sliding out of her chair and making her way up.

Ryo commented blandly, "This ought to be interesting."

Picking the easiest and least vocal challenging song she knew, Rhianna's "Umbrella" was coming on all too soon and then she was singing to it.

I smiled, "She's not bad," I said, "Who'd have guessed?"

"Very good," Sage commented

Cye gave her two thumbs up from where he was sitting and Ryo cringed, "Oh no, he's taken interest."

I said, "Doesn't anything with boobs catch Cye's interest?"

"But that's a good thing," Kento was saying now. "Least he won't be bothering you now."

I rolled my eyes, "One can only hope."

"I can't wait to tell his Mother the kind of child she raised," Mary offhandedly commented

Ryo snorted, "She'll drop into a dead faint."

"Cardiac arrest, woman has a bad heart," Rowen corrected

Cye grumbled, "Shut up."

"You hear that Cye," Kento shook a finger at him in shame. "Better change your ways before you kill your mum."

"Momma's boy," Sage chortled.

"Grandpa's bitch," Rowen retorted

"You two cut it out," Mary growled out in warning

I said, "You're telling me he has enough self control to act like a gentleman when she's around?"

"He's a saint," Rowen snorted out

"Won't cuss either," Kento added.

I gaped at them but looked up as Kitty came back to the table, "Great job!" I said with a grin.

"Let me know when my face returns to its normal color," she said and then promptly sat back down.

Ryo blinked, "Okay then."

"You rocked girl," Mary patted her on the back.

"Sage's turn!" I declared, turning on blondie.

Sage gave a shake of his head, "Kento's turn."

I sulked, "I want Sage to suffer."

"He and I agreed on this earlier, he would go before I did," Sage smugly announced.

"Damnit."

"Then let me get this out of the way for you blondie," Kento happily stood from his seat and confidently strode over to take the microphone.

I covered my ears, "Tell me when its over."

"Oh he can't be that bad," Mary assured

Ryo smirked and yanked my hands down, "None of that."

"I'm TRYING to not hear him so I can't say how good he is," I said, still glaring up at mullethead. Kento took the mic in hand, cleared his throat and shook his arms to get rid of the jitters. Then the music began and he was singing. My face contorted into a pouty look as Three Doors Down started playing. "Damnit, he has good music taste too."

Ryo laughed at this and sat back down, "See?"

"He and Ryo are the more stubborn ones in the group, maybe it's a hard-headed thing?" Mary offered.

Kitty grinned at me from across the table, "Looks like you're keeping Kento after all."

I glared at her, "I said nothing at all about his singing ability."

She seemed confident of this still. "That'll come next."

I blinked as he began to sing and couldn't help being pleasantly surprised. "He's not as bad as I expected."

Sage gave what sounded like a chuckle, and Rowen snorted down a laugh. Cye said easily, "Ah, admit it, he does it better than the guy in 3 doors down does."

I looked over at Cye and smirked, "You think so? You can have him then."

"I thought he already did though."

"Well, shit," I muttered, as Kento swaggered back.

"What'd you think of that eh?" he asked while seating himself once more. The smile on his face wouldn't go away. "Good wasn't I?"

Ryo smirked as I glowered at Hardrock and told Kento, "She liked it." I huffed.

"Yep, looks like she's keeping you after all," Kitty gave him a wink.

I looked at Kitty, "Traitor."

Kento chuckled as Kitty stuck her tongue out at me. "Were you really going to trade me out for Ryo?" he asked.

I nodded, "Yup. Well, no trading to be done, actually, since you're not mine anyhow."

"Hm, you know what..." Kitty turned to Ryo now. "Hey Ryo, if you had to pick between Rebekah and me... who would you choose?"

Ryo looked like a deer caught in the headlight. "Uhh..."

"I know I wouldn't answer that," Rowen snorted out

He looked between us, saying uneasily, "Well... I'd say Kitty. I'm too afraid Rebekah would use me as target practice."

This causes Kitty to blink while her jaw dropped. "Yup, looks like I'm the only one for you," Kento said to me while sinking comfortably down into his chair.

I glared at Ryo, "You have no idea how tempting that is."

"All right," Sage sniggered out, "It's Rowen's turn."

Cye said, "Aw hell, do you want our ears to bleed?"

Mary took her ear-pods out, got up, pushed the archer down just as he tried to get out of the chair and promptly sat down in his lap. Sage's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. Mary tweaked him in the nose, "You're not going anywhere buster." Rowen could only blink helplessly.

"Somebody's jealous!" I teased Sage.

"Hell no, surprised," Sage pointed to Cye and Ryo, "I'm not the only one."

I laughed, "It's ok, we all know you're just trying to cover it up. But it's your turn, purple-eyed demonic blondie."

Sage opened his mouth, and Mary went over top of him, "Sage, remember that one song you liked? Sing that."

Sage got a really sly grin on his face, "All right then."

I raised an eyebrow as he stalked off, "This should prove enlightening."

Mary took out bother ear plugs, she hadn't had the thing on just used the pods to drownout the mics buzzing sound

"If he can sing good are you going to trade me out for him?" Kento whispered to me.

I backed away from Kento, creeped out. "Sage? Are you joking? Ew!"

Sage looked over the mic for a moment, and adjusted it accordingly before waiting for the song to begin

"You guys are going to love this," Mary grinned, "Better than the 'Sexy' dance."

I looked over at Mary, "Is he-" I broke off as the music started and my mouth fell open. "He IS!" The rock music started playing and I hissed, "Oh my God," and I laughed, "This is perfect!" It was 'just like you' by Three Days Grace.

_I could be mean_

_I could be angry_

_You know I could be just like you_

_I could be fake_

_I could be stupid _

_You know I could be just like you_

"He's singing what?" Rowen quietly asked "I don't believe it, give me a mullet and call me Cye, or Ryo," He blinked

I clapped my hands together, "So far, he's pawned you ALL!"

Ryo tilted his head, "Pawned?"

_You thought you were standing beside me _

_You were only in my way _

_You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you_

Mary looked exceedingly pleased with herself and I grinned at her, "You orchestrated this, no?"

"I was feeling irritated, I had my hardrock playlist on; he heard the song and asked me to put it on repeat," Mary shrugged, "The man has good taste."

"I agree," I nodded, "He's officially cool."

_I could be mean _

_I could be angry _

_You know I could be just like you_

Sage wrapped up his song with that, and sat back down at the table without uttering a word. I laughed, "Sage, I have to hand it to you, you're better than Ryo and Kento combined." My eyes widened as I realized, Oh crap, its my turn isn't it?

"Eh," Kitty waved him off with disinterest. "Ryo still kicks ass."

Sage grinned, "And get's his ass pawned by the forces of evil once every week."

"There's comraderie for you," Mary dryly added in

I laughed and said, "Aren't they just a close-knit, loving group?"

Ryo crossed his arms and looked at me, "Your turn, princess."

I gaped, "You did NOT just call me princess!"

"Yep feel the love," Mary nodded, and rolled her eyes at Ryo; "Death wish much?"

I grumbled as I got to my feet, "I guess its too late to pretend I have laryngitis."

Kitty nodded her head, "Remember what I told you you'd have to do?" I rolled my eyes and walked off, already starting to shake from nerves.

"Where's the popcorn?" Rowen queried, earning an elbow in his gut via Mary, "Shut up. She can sing, unlike you and I."

Ryo looked surprised, "She can?"

Sage snorted, "You sing fine, he can't."

"You're not spending another night in my room, so give it up," Mary told him. Sage gave a pout

Cye snorted, "I wondered where he's been."

"He likes my closet and my cat," Mary shrugged

"And her playlist," Sage eagerly added

I sighed shakily as Linkin Park began to play, the music for Numb filling my head. This song was more than a song to me, it was more like a diary entry._  
_

_I'm tired of being what you want me to be_

_Feeling so faithless lost under the surface_

_Don't know what you're expecting of me_

_Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes  
(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)_

_Every step that I take is another mistake to you_

_(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)_

My voice was too soft and sweet for this song, I felt, but I could feel the pain inside of me seeping out through the words and I found myself forgetting about the audience. It was like I was staring face to face with my mother, the words pouring out of me

Rowen was blinking, "Damn, she's good."

"Told ya so," Mary happily commented.

Ryo's mouth was open slightly and Cye muttered, "Damn is right."

Sage was shell-shocked, "Damn, she's better than good she's great."

"Sorry guys, Kento can beat you all up ya know," Mary commented.

Kento glowered at them all, though he said, "They're right."

"Holding too tightly, afraid to lose control. I don't know what you expected of me, feeling so faithless, lost under the surface," I felt relief with each word.

_I've become so numb I can't feel you there_

_I'm tired of being what you want me to be_

_I've become so numb I can't feel you there_

_I'm tired of being what you want me to be_

I shook slightly as I ended the song, the world swimming back into focus. I exited the stand quickly and resumed my seat with my head down in embarrassment.

The entire table erupted in applause, and Mary stopped pinning the Ronin of Strata, and glomped her best friend, "See, you draw, you write, you sing, and NOW you can kill Sage."

I was shaking as I said, "You're kidding me," I mumbled, "It can't have been that good."

"Where'd ya learn to sing?" Rowen asked.

Sage nodded, "He might be almost tolerable then."

I lifted up my head to peer at Rowen curiously, "Learn to sing? I dunno, I just do, I never thought about it much."

"Wow," Rowen mumbled

"Oh hell, that was lame," Sage commented, "He meant to say Damn, you're good."

Kento nodded his head fiercely, "You're incredible."

I blinked at them, stunned. "Thanks," I said, smiling a little.

Mary plopped down in her own chair, "See? You worry too much."

I held out a hand, showing how shaky it was, "I'm just petrified of people looking at me."

"Everybody gets like that at time, I get so nervous I forget things...Most times I add humor that way I forget to be nervous," she sniggered  
Sage stared at Mary, "Ahem?"

She blinked, "Oh no, Ro's going next. I agreed he could sing only if he did a song within his range."

I sighed, "Smash mouth? I'm never going to be able to listen to them again."

"Aww come on," Mary was pouting, "He sopunds just like the guy!"

I waved her on, "OK, I'll believe it when I hear it."

Rowen gave a sly grin, "And I have the perfect song to just for the mafiosa chick." He quickly walked away

"Okay, let's kill him," Mary's eye was twitching

I blinked and said, "Oh shit." I nodded as the music came on, "He was dumber than I expected. He's gonna be the one hanging from the trees, I think."

_Life imitates the game of chess_

_You can be the rook or the pawn_

_But if you have the strategy thats best _

_You can be the king or in this case the don_

_Its easy to get knocked out of the game _

_Depending on which way you want to play_

Sage immediately burst out laughing; and Mary glared at him instead. "But you're right, he sounds like him!" Sage chortled

"He's singing... about the mob," Cye said slowly, absorbing this with surprise. "He wants to be pursued by hit men, doesn't he?"

"I AM the mob," Mary seethed

_Rev up the lincoln_

_And lets get to drinking some caffeino_

_Lets go to nicolletis_

_Cause he makes a mean spaghetti sauce  
Im a connoisseur of the finer things in life_

_Ill talk any flick with al pacino_

_Im a man of respect and I prefer to be addressed as padrino_

I groaned, "He's a dead man."

"Seriouly?" Sage blinked. Mary nodded, raking her fingers against the desk, "I KNOW what they did with Jimmy Hoffa."

Ryo sniggered, "This I want to watch."

_The underworld is like an undertow -_

_if you dont respect it_

_It will surely bring you down - _

_when you least expect it -_

_Hey expect it from all sides_

_Once youre in it its for life_

_Dont be famous be infamous and you will live to see another day_

_Be wise about with whom you discuss_

_Now that we have that out of the way_

Mary tapped her fingers against the desk, "I need a bag of cement..."

I grinned, "No problem mi amiga, I can procure one for ya!"

"A pickup truck with a towing line," Mary counted off on another finger, "I'll get that from David...And I guess the Ohio River will have to do, it's isn't the Hudson, but it should work..."

Kento winced, "Man, and I thought Rebekah was evil and scary."

I smirked, "That's only because I'm more secretive about my malicious plans."

"The oversized Catfish should devour the body, leaving no evidence," She gave a nod. Rowen had come back to hear this and went white. Sage snorted in laughter

Ryo leaned back, "Hope you've got your will written out, Ro."

"Aw it wasn't that bad," Rowen was pouting was it.

"It was insulting," Mary said coolly, "Capiche is not Italian, it's New York slang."

Sage guffawed, 'That's what this is about?"

"Mhm," Mary nodded.

I cracked my knuckles, "Say your prayers, Rowen."

"Aww come on," Rowen sulked

Sage smirked, "Kill him after she sings."

"Who said I was singing?" Mary arched an eyebrow

"I'm lip-synching," She stated

"You are NOT," Rowen waved a finger at her

I rolled my eyes, "Oh I'm shocked."

Kitty said, "That's cheating!"

"No, it's being civilized, and sparing you from spending a night in the emergency room," Mary calmly stated

I snorted and started laughing, "I doubt that would happen, but I wish I'd thought of doing that."

"Now look," Sage began

"Just kidding, I'll sing, nothing would give me more pleasure than seeing you Ronin writhe in pain," She smirkefd

I laughed as Mary walked off. "Now watch her be the best of us all." Mary tapped the person running the kaoroke thing, got up where he worked, and took a wire and attached it to her MP3 player, got it to the right song, and instructed the guy to press play. She then walked over to the microphone. I commented, "She knows what she's doing."

Sage shrugged, "I'm waiting to see what is going to happen."

Mary tapped the microphone, "This is for the moronic men sitting at my table, because the yutzes are the only ones going to understand word for word what I'm singing."

Ryo sulked, "Moronic men?"

"Moronic yutzes?" Rowen blinked, "What the hell is a yutz?" "Us apparently," Sage snorted out

"Hey, I'm surprised she even upgraded you to men," I stuck my tongue out

Kitty nodded her head, "They're actually just babboons."

"I guess amoebo baboon moronic yutzes didn't work," Sage dryly commented

"Yeah, too long," nodded Cye

"It would take a novel to fully describe you," I said, rolling my eyes.

Mary waited for the guy to press the play button, and then began to sing.

_Tooku hanareteru hodo ni chikaku ni kanjiterusamishisa mo tsuyosa eto kawatteku... kimi wo omottanara  
legendsguardian: machi mo hito mo yume mo kaeteiku jikan nitada sakaratteitakotoba wo kasanete mo wakari aenai kotomada shiranakatta ne  
legendsguardian: kimi dake wo dakishimetakute nakushita yume kimi wa"akiramenaide" to itta_

I grinned, "Aw, hell, what was she griping about? She's good!"

"AH! I know that!" Rowen announced, "Nami Tamaki's Reason."

Sage gave a nod, "Like I said, great playlist."

I looked over at Rowen and snorted, "Watched Gundam, did we?"

"Gundam SEED and Gundam SEED Destiny, appealed to my geek side," He unashamedly admitted

I rolled my eyes and muttered, "Weirdo."

_tooku hanareteru hodo ni chikaku ni kanjiterusamishisa mo tsuyosa eto kawatteku... kimi wo omotta narasetsunaku mune wo sasu sore wa yume no kakeraarinomama deaeteta sono kiseki mou ichido shinjite_

Mary put the microphone back, unplugged her MP3 player, took it back and walked back to the table and plopped down. "And don't any of you five get ideas either, I KNOW the English translation of the song, arigatou goziamasu."

As Mary got to our table I jumped up and lunged over, nearly knocking her over. "Liar liar pants on fire!" I said, "You're great!"

"MEH," Mary grumbled, "I'm not that good. I can pull off Japanese, just not English."

"Rowen IS Japanese and he can't pull off Japanese," Sage snorted out

Ryo said, "I agree with Sage and whats more, your voice is excellent."

Kitty clapped her hands, "Good job!" she said

"Airgato, can we leave now?" Mary queried

I jumped up, "YES, before I get sent up there a second time."

Sage pouted, "Aww, kill joys. But okay works for me."

Kitty rolled her eyes expressively as she rose to her feet, "Sage, you can sing for us at home too."

"Enjoy your joy, cause you'll be the one who is killed," Rowen said clapping him on the back

: I hooked an arm around Ryo's neck, "You'd better sing for us at home," I told him. "Your voice is awesome."

Ryo looked both amused and alarmed, "Uhm, okay then?"

Mary patted him, "You'll be fine, don't worry."

I breathed in relief as we filed out, "That was hell and now all karaoke bars are of Satan!"


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten: Fond Farewells - Yeah right! Can we actually get rid of them that easily?!**

The morning dawned bright and cold and I woke up early because I was frigid and miserable even under my covers. I was in the kitchen drinking my tea and reveling in the return of sensation to my fingers and toes when I heard it - proof that Kento had found my surprise for him. Ah, no, don't get me wrong - it wasn't anything sweet and endearing. I'd made good on my promise and drugged the lot of them to sleep, having crushed up some of my pills and mixed it with their dinner. They'd been in deep sleep in under twenty minutes, a thought that brought a wicked smile to my face.

Kento came into the kitchen, dressed only from the waist down, an eye twitching. "Morning Kento," I said as if nothing was amiss. There wasn't - for me, anyway. His entire torso and face had been colored on with my vast selection of fine point sharpies. It was only a pleasant reminder to me that I'd been successful in my plans.

"What in Hell's name is this about?" he asked, gesturing to what I'd done to his chest.

I leaned back against the counter, unable to hide the satisfied smirk on my face. "I told you I'd get you, but you didn't believe me."

Kento's mouth opened and closed before he found his voice, "But you - why _draw _ on me?"

I shrugged and said, " What kind of dumb question is that? I dunno, I was curious to see what you'd look like with tattoos?"

"But this is-" he broke off, at loss for words to decribe my art. I smirked. Kento's chest was covered in pink and purple flowers, smiley faces and stars. Not exactly manly, I guess.

"Demeaning? Horrifying? Disgusting?" I offered, still smiling. "You're not good with adjectives, are you?" He glowered at me and I waved away his peeved expression. "You were hardly the only one in this. Wait until you see what Mary, Kitty and I did to Ryo, Sage, Rowen, or for that matter, Cye."

At this point in time Mary came in from outside, having finished outside. She chortled as she saw Kento, "I take it that Ryo and the others aren't awake yet?"

"Nope," I said. "But he will be soon."

"What is this about?" demanded Kento in frustration.

"Consider it a going away present," I said. "Your van is due to be repaired today whic means you're no longer stuck with us."

Kento's mouth dropped open. "So you _colored _on me?"

I rolled my eyes. "I don't know what Kitty's been telling you, but I am not, I repeat, _not_, kissing you goodbye."

Kento looked flustered as he said, "That's not what I meant by that!"

"I'm not going to comment," Mary said, pulling her teacup out of the microwave. "I could, but I won't."

Kitty walked in, stifling a yawn with her hand, "Damn," she said, "When are they going to wake up?"

"What did you do?" Kento's curiosity overcame his annoyance.

Mary grinned. "A little bit of duct tape, fingernail polish, hair dye, permanent markers, and bleach go a long way when you have five guys sound asleep in your living room."

Kento was flabbergasted. "How'd you do that without us waking up?"

I smirked. "Remember those burritos I made last night? I put some of my medicine in you guys' food."

He gaped in abject shock. "How come you didn't get any?" he demanded.

I rolled my eyes. "They knew not to eat anymore than what I put on their plates. Honestly, I'm smarter than that."

"Kento, can we say," Mary paused, "Duh?"

That was when a bleary eyed Ryo walked in. He was unaware of his appearance and still too asleep to notice Kento, because he greeted us normally and went about his search for breakfast. Kento was unable to contain it anymore and burst into laughter, causing Ryo to look over. "Kento wha- woah, what happened to you?"

Kitty grinned. "Aw, poor guy, so innocent and unsuspecting. I guess he hasn't looked in the mirror yet, huh?"

Ryo turned to us, his eyes wide. "What... have you three been up to now?"

"Go back to the living room, look at your friends and then go upstairs and look in the mirror," Mary grinned. "Even you can figure it out."

Ryo was white as a ghost as he shot out of the room. I contained my laughter to say, "Wait for it..." I watched the clock and in less than a minute, we knew he'd seen what we'd done, as he let loose a defeaning roar of frustration. Mary, Kitty, and I were reduced to hysterical laughter. "I guess he didn't like having a short hair cut with blonde streaks," I coughed out.

"Or FAG written across his forehead," Kitty snickered.

"Or purple fingernails," Mary said, wiping away tears.

Kento shook his head at us, "You three are evil in the true sense of the word."

"We made Talpa run crying for his momma!" I laughed as I pumped my fist into the air. "Kokatsu na nekos rule!"

"Yessum, we do," Mary chirped. "But I'm waiting for something in particular." She poked her head out into the living room, saying, "Now, the first thing he'll recognise is Rowen's snoring. the second is that his head felt heavy," she paused in her narrative. "Then Sage realizes he can't move... 2, 1..."

We watched in amusement as Sage's eyes shot open, a look of horror crossed his face, and to our shock he bellowed, "This is NOT funny!" Of course by yelling this, he Rowen to wake up. Apparently he didn't like the arrangement either since he let loose a blood curdling scream.

"Wow, he screams better than Justin!" Mary declared. The two ronins were duct taped together, facing each other. To make matters worse, they could only move their faces maximally two inches apart.

"You're awake too I see," Ryo commented upon reentering the room.

Rowen looked past Sage to see what we'd done to Ryo and Kento, saying in a startled voice, "Dude, we've been pranked again."

Kitty snorted. "Thank you for that broadcast of the obvious," she said.

"It's Rowen," Mary boredly commented. "King of the Obvious making Ryo Queen of Corny Statements... and Sage Court Angster."

"Oh, witty," Sage snorted.

"I thought so," I quipped.

"So," Kitty said, "Who's waking Cye up?"

"I will!" I volunteered cheerfully, skipping towards the snoozing Ronin of Torrent. "WAKEY WAKEY EGGS AND BAKEY!" I screamed in his ear.

Cye shot upwards, "Whathefuckwazat?" he gasped all as one word, wide eyed and alarmed.

"Rebekah's Personalized Alarm Service, pleasure doing business with you," I said, giving a mock bow. "But seriously, look around you."

Cye's eyes were wide with worry but they steadily grew in size as he took in the appearances and predicaments of his friends. He leapt to his feet without needing a hint and flew like lightning up to the bathroom, from where shortly afterwards we heard him bellow, "BLOODY HELL!"

"What?" I asked in innocent confusion. "Pink looks good on you!" We'd colored Cye's entire face pink and his lips red and put big bold red letts on his face, his forehead saying GAY and his cheeks reading CROSS DRESSER!

"Evil, evil, evil, EVIL!" Cye said, barreling down the stairs to strange me.

I dodged out of his way and he slammed into the wall, causing me to tut disdainfully. "Now, really, don't be so rough on the house or you'll be paying for the repairs."

"Aw, I kinda thought that them being our targets for the past week counted," Mary commented. "Ah, well."

"Someone'd better get me out of this," Sage growled.

Mary snapped a picture, saying, "You're a swordsman, figure it out."

"Swordsman, NOT houdini!"

Ryo crossed his arms, "You can suffer, at least you won't have a lingering effect of it all."

Mary, Kitty and I all said simultaneously, "Oh no?"

Rowen grumbled out, "What is it now?"

I grinned in a familiar way, which meant I was up to no good. "Oh, all right. I'll let you guys go." I pulled my knife out of my pocket, quickly slashing away their bonds. They winced, clearly expecting to be cut, but I'd been handling blades for too long for that to happen. The moment they were free of the duct tape cuccoon they looked to see what _else_ we'd done to them. I'd taken bleach on a cutip and written across their shirts, "I _love_ my husband!" and "Pinch me, I squeal!" I'd also painted Sage's nails pink and it became clear that my pens had been at work in his hair too.

"Dude," Cye said in shock, "You're _pink!_"

Sage turned to look at me, "I am NOT Dais!"

I grinned, "I'm just trying to connect you with your inner female - embrace her!"

"I'll inner female you!" Sage growled, approaching me with his hands out.

"Hey, at least she didn't dress you up like a girl, like your family did to you when you were little," Mary paused as Sage stopped dead in his tracks. "Whoops, don't think you were supposed to know that."

"They what?" Sage demanded.

"Heh, like I said, whoops?"

Ryo smirked, "I'm guessing that was the other embarrassing fact?"

Mary nodded, "Yep."

Sage was growling, "You guys can go on to New York, I'm going to Sondai."

"Now, now," Mary urged, "Let's not get irritated. Red is not going to go with pink."

Kento snorted, "Cye, in that case, clashes completely." He indicated to the Ronin of Torrent's red and pink face.

I stuck my tongue out, "When it comes to him, the worse the better."

White Blaze looked around, stood up and stretched before trundling off to find breakfast. "Don't you even care?" demanded Ryo. The cat gave him a bored look and returned to his previous mission. The guys could have turned into tie-dye, chicken-footed platypuses for all he cared. Breakfast was first.

"You guys," whined Kento. "I'm hungry, damnit!"

"Everybody upstairs to wash up," I ordered them with a grin sneaking back onto my face. "Before I start snapping pictures!"

"Aww," Kitty said.

Mary nudged her, "She didn't say we couldn't!"

The guys got alarmed looks and bounded for the stairs, pushing and shoving to be out of range of the devices Mary and Kitty held. "How many bars of soap do you think they'll go through?" I asked musingly.

"At least fifteen," Kitty said.

"Nah, I'd say twenty-five," Mary added in.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I still say that was low."

"Kento, the point is moot, this is America - honor is long forgotten," I said, casting an annoyed look in the direction of the Ronin of Hardrock.

"Kento's right, how'd you feel if we drugged you?" Cye asked.

I put my head in my hands. "That's different entirely and you know it. Three girls drugged to sleep by five guys screams one thing and I honestly don't think I have to say it out loud." There was a pause and I said, "Good, I'm glad I made my point. Now, the dishes aren't getting any cleaner with me sitting in here." I stood and returned to the kitchen where I set about the breakfast dishes. Kento, Cye, and Rowen had been giving me a steady stream of reproach for my tactics, while Sage and Ryo opted for 'silent treatment.' This didn't effect me much because Sage was always silent and Ryo keeping his mouth shut was just an added bonus, or as Mary put it, an unexpected blessing.

"Hmm," Mary pondered aloud."Think we can confince them to get the Warlords over here?"

"I bet they'd gladly ship them over to experience Hell in a heartbeat," I said. "It's a matter of, how gullible are they?"

"They worked for a floating head, need I say more?"

I nodded. "My thought exactly."

"If I weren't so annoyed, I'd gladly help," Sage snorted out.

"Reality check, you're always annoyed," Mary said, grinning when he glowered.

"I think we ought to call a gynocologist to have the cob pulled out of his rear," I said brightly.

"I feel sorry for the gyno," Mary commented as Sage moodily stalked off.

"Or maybe he just needs chocolate and a trip to the mall?" I offered with a devious grin.

"You'd have better luck with the gynocologist," Rowen sniggered.

"Ah, I see," I said, tapping my chin. "That's what Ryo wants, OK!"

"Me? I just want aspirin," Mary quipped.

"What for?" Rowen stared at her.

Mary grinned, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

I patted Mary on the head. "Now, go easy on him. We know his low blood pressure prevents sufficient oxygen from reaching his brain, making him sound slow and surprisingly cow like. We mustn't take it out on him."

"Aw, you're no fun anymore," Mary pouted.

"Cow like?" Rowen cried out. "That does it!"

"Where are you going?" Cye asked.

Rowen's hand was on the door knob and he announced in a lofty tone, "I need _cake_!"

I grinned evilly. "And now that we know Rowen's gender secret that he's been hiding from us all of these years... it is time to break it to him that we have none!"

"Corner stor is open," he commented before walking out the door.

"If the police come and say they've found a body in a ditch, a pasty white guy with blue hair... we don't know who he is," Mary said.

"I'm for that plan," Cye chirped.

Kitty looked around at the remainder of the Ronin Warriors, all of whom had the remnants of my sharpie zeal showing as well as whatever crazy thing I'd done to their hair. "So," said the girl cheerfully. "Now what?"

I shrugged, "Sorry, I'm all out of ideas for torture."

"Thank God," muttered Kento.

"But," I said, getting an evil gleam in my eye, "That's why you two have imaginations, right?"

Kitty looked over toward Ryo. "Sing!" she commanded grandly.

Ryo blanched. "Sing what?"

An idea popped into my head. I got up and whispered into his ear, "'Follow you home' by Nickleback. Sing that one." He shrugged and followed my suggestion and as he began I skipped out of the room, my maniacal grin testament to how satisfied I was.

Kento had followed me out because I heard him comment, "That was evil."

"Kento," I said, "I'm going to buy you a thesaurus so you can find new words instead of using the same ones repetitively."

He scowled, "What other ones would you suggest instead of evil?"

"Atrocious, rotten, malignant, diobolical, need I go on?" I asked, clasping my hands and giving him an innocent smile. As he only scowled at me I turned to go up the stairs, earning his quiery of where I was going. "Upstairs to be anti social and avoid everyone," I answered smoothly, not looking back.

Of course it was enough to hear Ryo singing the song because Mary chortled and quickly followed me up the stairs. "If I stay down there, I'll die from laughter," she said. "That was the perfect song for him to sing!"

I grinned. "I thought about making him do a sappy love song but I figured this one would provide more entertainment."

"Oh, it does," Mary smirked. "Think we can get him to do 'Inside of You' by Hoobastank next? If that doesn't drive Kitty fangirly, I don't know what will!"

I gave a loud snort, "I'm sure we can find something to convince him."

"Like stealing all of his clothes and locking them outside?"

"Er... something less likely to make my eyes burn in their sockets."

"C'mon, we can have Kitty do it. Or you could threaten to do some more of your Sharpie magic."

"I was thinking more along the lines of superglue in their shampoo or dye in Sage's. Pink, preferably."

"That reminds me of a really amsing fanfic actually," Mary paused. "Wait! We could threaten to make him read aloud an extremely embarrassing fic! Preferably one where he and Sage are, um, tight."

I gagged, "Ew! I personally don't think I could hold down my breakfast after that."

"I didn't say we had to listen," Mary pointed out.

I grinned. "There's just the small problem of conning him into why he needs to do it."

"I still say he suffers through an awful fanfic reading," Mary commented. "If not Shounen-Ai, then 'Evil's True Form'."

I laughed, "Shounen-Ai would convince him before he even got past the first page. They might enjoy Evil's True Form."

"Time to torture Wildfire!" Mary sniggered. "Come on, lets go catch us an unsuspecting victim."

Kento was the first one to see us come down the stairs. "Now why do your faces tell me you're up to no good?" he asked.

"Maybe it just means you're not as dense as you seem," chirped Kitty and I grinned, nodding.

Kento groaned, "Should have known that being anti social meant plotting another stunt."

"Yo Ryo!" I said, landing in front of him.

"What?" he asked worriedly, noting my backup.

"C'mon," I said, grabbing his arm. "We've got a surprise for you!"

"Oh no! Ladies, please spare me?" Ryo asked as he was half dragged into the next room.

"Where's the fun in thar?" Mary inquired.

"You could torture Sage," he shamelessly bargained. "And I could help?" I raised an eyebrow at him, he's really gotten pathetic.

"Maybe you'll get lucky and break down on the doorstep of three girls who have hopeless crushes on you next time, instead of being hopeless pranksters," I offered with a grin.

"Actually, I'm better off here," Ryo's shoulders slumped forward. "So what awful, embarrassing, horrendous trial do you want me to accomplish this time?"

Mary blinked, "Wow, I'm stunned by all the descriptive wording."

I grinned, "You ought to tutor Kento!"

I smirked, "You can either read from a select fanfiction or you can perform a song of our choosing."

Ryo blinked, "You mean this is a multiple choice, like asking if I'd rather be drowned or hanged?"

"Wow, he's on a roll today," Mary noted.

"Looks like being here with us has done him good!" I declared grandly. "Like a vacation for your health!"

"One that sends you to your grave," muttered Ryo.

"Hey, look, the guys are the ones that almost killed you by being helpful," Mary said. "We haven't done you any favors and you're still alive."

"Good point," Ryo admitted.

"So," I said, "Which will it be?"

Ryo gave me a wary look, "Let's see what the fanfiction is." Mary gave an evil grin and grabbed him, dragging him upstairs. They came back ten minutes later with Ryo's ears flaming red. He squeaked, "I'll sing! Just don't make me see that ever again!"

I clapped my hands in excitement and I sniggered at his thoroughly embarrassed expression. "All right," I said. "This time it's Inside of You by Hoobastank and you have to sing it in front of everyone."

"WHAT?" Ryo's eyes got like saucers and the next thing we knew he was passed out on the floor.

"Poor guy," Mary commented sympathetically. "Just couldn't handle the excitement."

Ryo was rudely awakened by ice cold water on his face. "Now, we understand how much this opportunity means to you, but really... that's just a little too much drama," I told him with a shake of my head.

"If I weren't a Ronin and a good guy all around," Ryo stated coolly, "Sage wouldn't be the only one with metal up their rear end."

"Drama Queen," Mary poked him. "Come on Ry, you might find a way to enjoy it," she winked at him.

Ryo made a face.

"God to kill me," he answered quickly.

I thwacked the back of his head before yelling, "Everybody in the living room pronto! Ryo has a very special song he wants to sing for us!"

Cye walked in, giving us strange looks, "He wants to sing?"

Kento followed him with, "What did they bribe him with?"

Ryo made another face. "You do NOT want to know."

Sage came in from outside, his abnormal hearing having alerted him to my call. "You're going to admit your undying love for Kitty?" he asked. "It's about time."

Ryo groaned, "Kill me now."

I shook my head, "And waste talent like yours?"

He gave me an evil look. "Speaking of talent," he said meancingly, "How come _you_ don't sing for us?"

I gave him an innocent look, "Me? Sing for you lot? What on earth gave you such an awful idea?"

Ryo's eye twitched. "Hey, Kento, you and I need to have a chat," he said turning to his teammate.

Kento looked confused, "But why-"

I cut them off. "Kento, go get Rowen please." Kento cast one last bewildered look at Ryo before heading out the door to find the archer. "You're not allowed to plot," I told him. "Just like small children aren't allowed to handle razors and knives."

"The question is, are they even capable of plotting?" Mary asked. "Sage seems to be the only one remotely capable of finding comebacks."

I grinned. "Hence the allusion to small children with shapr objects - they're only going to get themselves hurt."

"Ah, gotcha," Mary nodded.

In a few moments, Kento returned with Rowen in tow. "Let's do this!" he said.

I caught Ryo's sleeve as he attempted to escape. "No, no, we can't have any of that. You can't let performance nerves run you off."

He growled, "I really just want to go and commit Seppuku, got a problem with that?"

I nodded. "Yep, you have to sing and _then_ you can slit your wrists and sulk in a dark corner."

"That's Sage, not me."

"Ah, no, it's both of you."

"No fair," whined Ryo. "Torture someone else."

"Nope."

He groaned. "Fine." He gave us one last evil look before proceeding on with the song. The other guys were soon rolling around in laughter as Sage shoved himself in the nearest closet in embarrassment. Kitty, poor poor Kitty, was caught between intense embarrassment, amusement, and fury that he was singing that to _her._

As he finished up, she walked over, hands in the air reaching for his throat. "Ryo," she said menacingly. "I'm going to _kill_ you!"

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I tip toed into the living room, my footsteps unheard on the carpet. I smirked and snuck up behind Kento, suddenly leaping forward, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and flinging myself onto his back, "SURPRISE!"

"GAH!" Kento yelped in surprise, having to catch his footing in the process.

I laughed appreciatively. "Do not underestimate the powers of those embued with feline traits," I said smirking at him from his shoulder.

The look on Kento's face gave insight into what his next words were going to be; "You hurt you're what?"

I blinked, "What?"

"What, what?" he blinked as well, thoroughly confused at this point.

"What do you mean by "You hurt you're what?" I repeated slowly

He shrugged, "I don't know what the hell you just said. That's all I got out of it."

I groaned and dropped my forehead onto his shoulder, "I said," I grumbled, "oh, never mind."

There was a moments pause before he said, "Ah... what's with the touching all of a sudden?"

I got off, "I just like bugging you. You're more.. ah, how to put it? Approachable."

"Approachable?" Kento repeated the word with a raised brow before nodding his head. "Yeah... that works. Been called worse."

I rolled my eyes. "You're the teddy bear of the lot, I gravitate to those. So you're stuck with the majority of my attention."

"And... that's a bad thing?"

I nodded, "Yup. But the real reason I attacked you is because you and I," I pointed at him and then myself as if handling a mental handicapper, "Have a date with the staffs."

Kento looked as if he were about to open his mouth and say something back to that and then closed his mouth and shook his head. "We have a date do we?" he replied instead with a silly grin.

I rolled my eyes and walked towards the door, "Yeah, its a really romantic one - it involves you getting your ass kicked by a girl."

His face fell at that along with his shoulders and over all happy mood. "Gee, fun fun. That was high on my list of things to do today," he grumbled now while following after her. "Right there under dying Ryo's hair."

I looked back at him, an eyebrow raised in confusion. What the hell was that about? "What, you're telling me you- oh, never mind." He grinned, proud at himself for confusing her for a change. I gave him a weird look, before shaking my head and proceeding on down the hill. "Guys are weird," I said to myself. What more needed to be said, besides that?

Kento had his arms behind his head, easily keeping pace with her as she walked. "I hope you know that I will be winning this time," he said out of the blue.

I looked back at him, "Gone and got cocky, did we? Just because you won once before doesn't mean you will this time."

He blinked at this, "I won last time?"

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, when we were fighting in the woods and our duel dissolved into an embarrassing comment contest?" We had decided not to say anything because of the stuff we'd yelled at each other.

He nodded his head slowly at that while remembering. "Yeah I did win that one," a smirk fell over his face now. "And this one will be no different."

I sighed and shook my head slowly from side to side, "You live in a fantasy world," I told him. "That's kind of sad."

"Yep," he stated proudly. "Like it better there too."

I snorted and settled into a stance in front of him, my staff at ready. "Ready to die?" I asked cheerfully. "Then you can fantasize about being alive too!"

Kento did a little idle twirling with his staff before settling it into a relaxed stance. "Bring it on pumpkin."

I wrinkled my nose, "Pumpkin?" I leapt forward, knocking his staff aside and slamming the butt of it into his shoulder. "What kind of stupid assed pet name is that?"

"What? You don't like?" he asked if not already knowing that and rubbed at his sore shoulder.

I snorted and kicked him in the back, "What gave it away?"

"The look might have said something to me," he muttered while snatching up his staff again and then turned around; ready for her attacks now.

I grinned at him as I blocked his hit, "Aw, you mean you're able to pick up on something without needing a blunt statement?" I asked teasingly. "Who'd have known?" I laid a thwack across his arm in retaliation for attempting to hit me.

He blocked my next attempt to hurt him with a frown. "You know..." he drawled out now. "If you weren't a girl then this would be easier for me."

I rolled my eyes, "What? There's chivalry in there somewhere?"

"Do you think you're getting these hits on me because you're good?" he taunted now; dodged another hit and gave my staff a smack that had my arms vibrating.

"Kento," I said, my eyes narrowing, "You realize that was a real insult..." I aimed a hit for his arm and hit it so hard he had to drop his staff with one hand. "And now I'm actually pissed off."

"Good!" Now all of a sudden his taunting wasn't looking like it had been such a good idea to him. Kento shook the jitters out of his arm and neatly side stepped me before bringing his staff up with both hands in order to ward off my own. "Princess a little mad now?"

I hissed between my clenched teeth, "Do not make me send you your ass on a platter," I snapped, "Because you're getting awful close to it."

"Ouch!" he cried and shook his offended hand that had been slapped in the process of blocking another hit. "Alright, no more taunting."

I smirked as I brought the long wooden staff around, knocking him slightly off balance. I threw in a hard kick and slammed my fist into his jaw. I leapt back to avoid a hit and landed on all fours, my hair falling into my eyes and poking them. I growled and shoved it aside, jumping upright, annoyed with the stubborn blonde locks that insisted on getting in my vision and jabbing my eyeballs - which HURTS!

Kento rubbed his jaw and spat the blood from his mouth. "Well I gotta hand it to ya..." a smirk was on his face as he spoke. "For a girl you hit pretty hard."

I smirked, "Gave Nii-san a bloody lip as a five year old and he's seven years older than me."

"Heh," we were circling each other at this point; his eyes stayed trained on me while his hands idly spun his staff. "What cha waiting for?"

I cocked a brow, "What are you waiting for? An engraved invitation? Or are you scared?"

"Nah, I just like letting girls go first," was his simple response. I gave a short laugh before diving forward and as our staffs clashed against each other I ducked behind him and slammed the end of mine into the back of his leg, knocking them out from under him. I grinned as I hit his elbow joint next, the wood on bone forcing him to drop his weapon. I grabbed it and gave it and idle twirl before casting out of his reach. He rubbed his elbow to get the joint to stop aching and then gave me a frown. "Yeah, this is starting to make me mad now. Hate the fact that you're a girl."

I raised an eyebrow, "Wow, you really are a softy. Nii-san would have killed me by now."

"Well I was brought up with more manners than that," he caught my staff as I attempted to smack his other arm and shoved it back, causing me to stumble. "Can't hit a girl."

I wrenched it free of his grasp, "I still can't get used to your manners. I guess I'm so used to being abused by whoever felt like doing it that anything else feels fake and stupid." I kicked his gut and hit his shoulder with my staff

He stumbled back a few paces and then caught himself, dodging around my next attack and then side stepping another. "I... don't know what to say to that. I'm sorry that I have manners?"

I snorted, "Don't even bother, this time tomorrow I'll be whining that I'm bored and haven't got anyone to annoy." I blocked his punch, grabbing his wrist and wrenching it the wrong way, hauling it behind him. "Or tease," I said, grinning slightly.

"Hey, hey!" he protested and winced against the unnatural way his arm was now bent back at now. "I need that you know."

I said, "What for? Throwing boulders at stuff?" I slammed my knee into his back and then as I dropped his arm, my elbow hit his head at high velocity

After eating dirt, Kento rolled onto his back groaning and clutching at his head. "I'm getting about tired of this," he grumbled at himself before climbing to his feet. "Man I should just think of you as a dude, hm?"

I rolled my eyes and kicked him back down, "Damn, what took you so long? My nii-san is half your size and he'd have had me hanging by my foot in the trees."

"I don't like hurting girls." Taking me by surprise, Kento lunged for me, digging his shoulder into my stomach. Then, grabbing my arm, he hauled me up over his shoulder and began to swing around. "Ha! Dizzy yet?"

I groaned and slammed my foot into his back, the hard point of my boot's toe causing no inconsiderable amount of pain. He loosened his grip and I slipped down, slipping my arms under his, I yanked them behind his back and placing them against each other, pushed them to the point of nearly breaking. "In pain yet?" I asked brightly.

He bit his tongue, not about to show pain. "Not yet."

"Dern," I pouted and used my leverage to fling him sideways, slamming my knee into his gut, my elbow connecting with his neck. I grabbed his hand and once again ducked behind him, "If you don't feel pain I might have to act creepy," I said thoughtfully. "Its less fun if I don't get a reaction."

"You're weird," hooking his foot around mine, he yanked foreward, jerking my leg out from under my. Then as I started to fall, Kento twisted around and pinned me to the ground. "You know," he almost chuckled. "Someone might take this the wrong way if they were to see it."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Or are you just trying to get them to interpret things the wrong way?" I asked before slamming my head upwards into his. Oh God, instant migraine! I recovered faster than him, however, and was on my feet on top of him, straddling his waist within moments, my staff across his throat. "Any last words?" I asked curiously.

"Yeah, hope you like the taste of dirt," bringing his leg up, Kento sent me flying head over heel and then quickly jerked my staff away from my grasp. "Now we're even," he tossed it aside.

"Oh that was original," I muttered before getting to my feet and shaking the grit out of my hair. I gave him a bored look. "Well, I'm unarmed. You going to finish this or not?" I was just waiting for him to try.

"I already told you, I can't attack a girl first," he put himself into a loose defensive stance. "Come on, you first."

I quirked an eyebrow and then rolled my eyes, "Whatever, you're insane." I decided to pull a really dirty stunt - one that would guarantee my winning and probably leave him in a confused, bruised heap. I smirked and darted forward, ducking under his ready fists and popping up in front of his face. Before he could even react I'd already done it - put my mouth over his. I felt his shock as he took an involuntary step back. I then caught his hands in mine and dropped to the ground, using his shock as my leverage to throw him over me. "I don't think you'll ever be able to think of me as a dude," I said with a not so small smirk.

"Oof!" he hit the ground hard on his back, dazed and staring up at the sky with his mouth open. Slowly, his head shook from side to side. "No... that'll be hard to do... 'specially when you do that."

"Blame Kitty," I said looking innocent. "I wouldn't do it if she hadn't been teaching me." I walked up to where he was laying on the ground. I waved a hand in front of his face, "Wow, somebody's zoned out," I commented before walking back over and grabbing my staff, tired of being unarmed against him.

"What? Not done yet?" he climbed to his feet, brushing at the dirt and then stood ready for whatever I had in store for him. "Or are you just wanting another excuse to kiss me."

I rolled my eyes, "If you want another one, you have to ask, you know," I said, turning around to face him, twirling my staff.

"Oh yeah?" he smirked and then pointed to his cheek. "Well come on over here and plant one on me."

I snorted and walked up to him, my staff over my shoulder. I pecked him quickly on the cheek before knocking him aside with my staff. "Never said it'd be free," I commented, as I slammed it into his upper arm and ducked a blow.

"Eh, nothing is for free," he jumped foreward, grabbing a hold of my staff with both hands and jerking me towards him. Tripping me up, he then twisted the staff out of my hand and placed one foot on my stomach to hold me down. "You about done yet?" he asked and placed the staff over his shoulder. "I'm getting hungry."

I held back a snort, so what else was new? I contemplated my situation, not wanting to give up. I bit my lip and hooked my foot around his leg and hauled back, throwing him off balance and more importantly, off me. I caught the staff and said, "And I'll take that." Before turning and walking towards the house.

"Wah?" Kento blinked several times after stumbling back and catching his footing. Was she for real? "Does this mean... we're done?"

"Yup," I said. "Before I'm forced to break your arm to win."

"Huh," he gave an indifferent shrug to this while after her. "Works for me."

"Besides, I need to shower to get all the boy cooties off," I commented before thumping Cye on the back of the head with my staff and proceeding into the house.

Cye grumbled, "She's a real ass today, what the hell is her problem?"

"She couldn't beat me," Kento told him proudly. "So she's crabby."

Cye rolled his eyes, "Oh great. You should have let her win, you realize she'll probably poison us tonight at dinner?"

"Hey now," he held his hands up in protest. "I was fully prepared to just stay down and let her win, but she wouldn't let me. Her own fault."

Cye shook his head, "I doubt it. You, willing lose? Not likely."

Kento opens his mouth to tell Cye off and then closes it and growls. What was the point of this? "Eh, I'm hungry," he grumbles instead and stalks off towards the kitchen. I came back down half an hour later and walking into the kitchen I ignored Kento's presence. I flipped open the CD player and kicked in Otep, letting the music fill the room as I yanked out ingredients. "You are perfectly flawed, perfectly incomplete," I sang along softly, slamming a drawer shut with unwarrented force. Kento, seeming to pick up on her bad mood, decides to take his self and sandwich else where. "I think... I'll go find the other guys," he says and hastily makes a retreat from the kitchen.

I snorted as he left, "I wonder what I could do to terrorize him tonight..." I paused to consider and went out of the kitchen looking for Kitty. I needed a partner in crime.

"Aw, come on Ryo," Kitty was saying from the front room where she was trying to get him to agree to train her before giving him a very sad, pathetic attempt at a pouty face. "Please?"

Ryo shook his head, "No, sorry, I don't need two homocidal girls chasing me around, thanks anyway."

I walked up behind Kitty and tapped her on the shoulder, "Conference time," I said quickly, ignoring the looks I received from the lot of guys who were hanging around. "I need someone else with an evil imagination."

"One second," she held up a finger to indicate that and turned back to Ryo. "So then you don't care that I'm a tiny, helpless girl who needs to know how to defend herself against homocidal guys? What if something were to happen to me? Do you really want that on your conscience?"

I rolled my eyes, "I told you I'd teach you," I waved Ryo away. "He gets pwned by evil every day, you really want to learn from him?"

Kitty had to think on this a moment before saying, "He's a ninja and ninja's kick ass! Besides... doesn't look like he's going to help me out anyway."

I shrugged, "Come on, either you or Mary has to help me terrorize Kento before they leave."

"Why? What's he done now?"

I beckoned her, "Come on already," I said impatiently, aware of the looks I was receiving from them, especially Kento.

"Alright, alright, sheesh," she follows after her a little uneasily. "What do you need my help for anyway?"

"I need ideas for a prank to pull on Kento."

"Well that won't be hard," she says with a snort. "The guy is seriously simple minded."

I rapped my fingernails against the countertop, confident that my music was suffiently warding off eavesdropping. "I'm out of ideas. I mean, after I covered him in sharpie drawings I lost inspiration."

"Hm, well we could just drug him again and then something funky to his hair. Dye it a couple different colors."

I laughed despite myself. "Well, I guess so. I wonder if I could..." I paused to think and then sighed. "God I feel like my head is stuffed with cotton tonight. Must be a result of headbutting that idiot."

"Um, yeah, did you think they just called him hardhead because it sounded good?" she points to her head now. "His head is as hard as a rock."

I rolled my eyes, "Had to do something to get him off of me - it was creepy."

This causes her eyes to nearly pop out of her head. "The hell were you two down there doing?!"

I crossed my arms, "Not what you're thinking. He was making - suggestions about the fact that he was pinning me to the ground. Need I say more?"

"Nah," she waves her off. "I know guys better than you, member? Say no more."

I sighed, "Good. Now, for pity's sake, how do I get him back?"

"I don't know. If it were me..." she trails off and then shakes her head. "Nah that wouldn't work."

I tilted my head, "What?"

"You'd never be able to pull this off, but..." Kitty sighed before saying, "If it were me then I'd just do whatever I could to make him jealous. I mean, we're talking beat someone down kind of jealous."

My eyebrows rose, "Are you talking about using my, um, feminine charm, to make him upset?"

"Hm, yeah something like that. Would you like an example?"

I leaned against the counter, "Sure, tell me."

"Alright then," Kitty seated herself at the table before beginning to talk. "For insistence, if I were to start giving Sage the time of day then it might irke Ryo a little. Now, if I were to do that and be nice to Sage and start to ignore Ryo for him then it might turn into something more." She stops and waves her hands in the air, "Ok bad example, but do you get what I'm saying?"

I tapped my chin, "I think so. So if I ignored Kento and actually paid attention to Cye... he'd get peeved?"

"OH yes," she nods firmly. "'Specially cuz it was Cye and you're always saying how you dislike him."

I sighed, "Tell me how to do this. And contrary to popular belief, I can act."

Kitty rubs her hands together in preparation for what she was about to scheme up. "Alrighty, let's see here. We'll start off slow, see how he takes it. For right now, just pretend that you've lost all memory of how much of a perv Cye is and treat him like a good friend."

I squinted at the wall as I thought, "Ok, I think I know what to do." I nodded and turned back to dinner, which I put in the oven to finish cooking itself. I flipped off the CD player and said, "Time to play!" with a small smirk.

"Yay!" she cheers happily. "Now can I go back to bugging Ryo into saying yes? Or do you still need my help?"

"Oh, you're free to harass him unless you care to watch Kento's reactions. Might prove interesting." 

"Hm..." dashing out of the kitchen, Kitty comes back a minute later towing a confused, but willingly following, Ryo behind her. "Ok I've got my buddy so I'm good to go."

I snorted in laughter. "Alright, yay, I've got an audience!" I laughed as I walked out of the kitchen casually. Cye was sitting my beanbag - the pink beanbag, which was pink because I wasn't the one to pick it out - playing video games. I walked up and flopped down beside him, leaning against his side. "I'm bored," I whined to him.

Cye looked down at me in surprise, "You're not up to evil?" he asked.

I shook my head, "Too uninspired. Have a headache too."

"Oh," Cye said.

As nothing else was forthcoming I poked him, "You're in my beanbag," I told him.

"Need me to get up?" he asked, not willing to incite a fight.

"Nah, but you do have to scoot over." Cye blinked, but did as ordered so I could perch on my beanbag and lean against him.

"Hm, not bad... not bad at all," Kitty comments while watching her. "That ought to get his attention."

Sure enough, as stated, Kento took notice to what was going on with Cye. He tried to seem uninterested while watching some movie on the television, but his eyes kept dancing back and forth between them and the TV.

I watched Cye play the video game and said, "I'm still bored."

Cye offered the first thing he could think of, "Want to play?"

I thought for a minute, "I'll duel you in Soul Caliber III," I offered with a grin.

Cye smirked, "Fine with me." He put in the disk and as it loaded, threw me the other controller which I caught deftly.

"Prepare to be creamed," I told him with an evil grin. "I rule at this game."

Cye cocked an eyebrow, "NOW you're up to evil."

I gave him an innocent look, "Me? Are you joking? I'm a saint!"

Cye snorted and flopped back down beside me, ruffling my hair, "As saintly as Dracula."

I gaped at him, "Dracula? Come on! I was hoping for at LEAST Lucifer."

Cye slung an arm around my shoulder comfortably as I picked my character, Tira. "Ah, you're attracted to the evil ones." I nodded and ignored the arm across my shoulder calmly. Now Kento was definitely staring. The TV wasn't even in his thoughts as he watched the two of them converse casually like good old buddies. What the hell was going on here? She couldn't stand Cye so why all of a sudden the change? Kento frowned and locked his jaw, all the while fighting the urge to rip Cye's arm off.

Kitty nudges Ryo and pointed to Kento. "Job well done, now he's starting to notice."

I poked Cye, "Pick somebody! Come on, I can't fight my shadow!"

Cye smirked and took his arm off to use his controller, selecting the blond haired good guy. "I'll take the good guy," he said. "Because I am a good guy."

I laughed, "Yeah, whatever," as I sent Tira to kill him.

"Hey!" he said in shock as I had her isoscle tear into him with flames and all. "That's no fair!"

"What? I told you that you'd get creamed," I said with a raised eyebrow. I knocked his character down and every time he tried to get up I knocked him down again. "Cheap, but oh so satisfying," I said with a grin.

Cye dropped his controller and grabbed me, yanking me towards him to give me some strange form of a noogie - just it didn't hurt as much. "Ak!" I said in surprise before remembering what I was doing. Still sitting in his lap, I continued to kill his character. Kitty is in stitches at this point while watching as Kento's eyes nearly pop out of his head. The poor guy nearly fell off the couch, but caught himself in time. Clearly by the look on his face, he didn't know what the hell was going on or whether he should be upset or afraid.

Cye grunted and tried to defend himself but it was hopeless - I won all three rounds. "That," I said, turning my head and looking at Cye through squinted eyes and a crooked grin, "was lame. Did you let me win?"

He raised his eyebrows and then said slowly, "Maybe..."

I groaned and flopped back against him. "Well, if you're going to be that way this game is no fun."

Cye's arm slithered around my waist. "Was for me," he said. Kento's hands are gripping the armrest of the couch at this point and the only thing that seemed to be anchoring him to where he sat. His eye twitched while watching Cye's arm slip around her.

I rolled my eyes, "You had fun getting your ass kicked? What are you, a masochist?"

Cye shook his head, "Nope, its just fun that you're that good with such a weak character."

I scowled at him playfully. "Weak? She is not weak! You're character was just inept and useless."

Cye smirked, "She is too weak."

"No, just awkward. And you would be too if you fought with a huge circle."

He said in shock, "Me? Awkward? Are you kidding?"

I gave him an amused look. "Nope. Not kidding."

"Ok, just what the hell is going on here?" Kento demands angrily.

Cye and I looked over at him, "What are you talking about?" I asked, my expression skeptical.

He motions to what they were doing. "This... all buddy now thing. You hate him! Why the hell are you acting nice all of a sudden?"

I rolled my eyes, "Oh, Puh-leaze, I didn't hate him, I was only annoyed with how creepy he got. And he isn't being creepy now, so why should I be mean?"

"Not being creepy? Not being creepy?!" his voice rose with agitation and he jabbed an accussing finger to the arm that Cye still had around her waist. "Well then what the hell do you call what he's doing now, hm?"

I snorted, "Yeah, well at least he isn't bursting my eardrums with his yelling."

Cye smirked and patted my head, "No, I wouldn't do that."

"Oh no? Pick a character already and make sure your selection this time isn't as impotent." Cye smirked and picked up his controller, using his hands in front of me to select Abyss. "Oh, nice one," I nodded, as if Kento no longer existed. Kento blinked, thoroughly thrown for a loop by that one. When had he lost his title of 'being the favorite'? Growling, he got up from the couch and stalked off to the kitchen for a snack to calm his nerves. I watched Kento leave with a raised eyebrow, "What was all that about?" I asked the room in general. Kento marched into the kitchen, ignoring the two who scurried out of his way and threw the fridge open. This called for something good.

Cye shrugged, "Guess he's jealous."

I shook my head, "Jealous of what? He's being an ass."

"Want me to go talk to him?"

"Nah, I wouldn't sacrifice you like that," I said before getting up. "I'll go annoy him." I threw Kitty a look, silently asking how my performance had been. Kitty gives her two thumbs up and mouths 'perfect'. I grinned and walked towards the kitchen. In there I absently flipped through my CDs, looking for one in particular. Ah, Three Days Grace. I popped it in and let it start playing 'Pain' as I opened the oven, checking the lasagna I had baking.

"What's with the whole 'being nice to Cye' all of a sudden thing?" Kento asks now while shutting the fridge doors and then leaning against them.

I shut the oven and looked back at him, "Why does it bother you so much?" I asked curiously.

"Because before Cye was the 'Ronin of Perverted Comments' who you couldn't stand to be around and now all of a sudden it's like... like..." he gave up with a growl. "Why aren't you hurting him?"

I threw my hands up, "Well I'm sorry he didn't make any perverted comments. I'm supposed to beat him up for being nice?"

"He was touching you," Kento smartly pointed out. "In ways that should have gotten him hurt."

I gave him a weird look. "Let me get this straight - you want me to beat up your best friend. How is this normal?"

"Who says it has to be normal?"

"OK, let me rephrase this. How is that SANE?"

"It's a guy thing," he replied simply. "You wouldn't understand."

I crossed my arms and gave him a dead-pan stare. "You may as well tell me because you're acting like a bloody maniac," I said flatly.

"Am not," he said stubbornly and crossed his own arms over his chest.

"Are so," I said accusingly. "There's only one way to explain this and its that you're jealous. So really, is that it or not?"

Kento opened his mouth to say something and then closed it. Again he opened it just to close it once more. "No," he finally got out.

I raised an eyebrow, "Uh huh. And I'm a monkey's uncle."

"Well if you already knew then why the hell would you ask me?" he grumbled out.

I shrugged, "Curious about your reaction. And you know - you can tell me what your issue is, I'm not going to make fun of you."

He took this into consideration before mumbling out, "My issue is you acting all nice towards Cye and not me."

I grinned and walked over, wrapping my arms around him. "Aw," I said into his ear. "Whose my favorite teddy bear?"

He blinked, raising a brow at her display of affection towards him. "I am?"

I released a deflated sigh. "You know, if you weren't... you'd be ignored same as Ryo, Sage, and Rowen."

"So I take it that Cye is a favorite of yours?"

I snorted and pulled back. "You honestly think that? He doesn't get ignored, no, he gets pummeled and regularly."

Kento thought on this a moment before saying, "So that puts him below the rest of us?"

I smirked and nodded. "So if I hug you this time will you not be an ass about it?"

"When was I an ass the first time?"

I groaned and said, "What do I have to do to make you happy? Huh?" With a sneaky smirk, Kento ever so innocently taps his cheek and waits for her to get the idea. I gave him a half lidded look. "I'm starting to wonder about all of these kisses you're asking for," I said before walking up and pecking him quickly.

"What are you wondering about?" he asked, happy now and satisfied that he hadn't been replaced as her favorite.

"Your motives for requesting kisses," I stated as if it were the most obvious thing on earth.

He held his hands up for peace, "Hey, it's not like I'm asking for smooches on the lips here. They're innocent pecks on the cheek."

I shook my head, "Sorry, not buying it. Hugs are weird enough for me, let alone kissing anyone." I pulled out a mug, intent on making myself tea.

He shrugs at this, "Alright, then I won't ask anymore."

I put the mug in the microwave saying conversationally, "Dinner ought to be done in ten minutes."

"Oh boy," he rubs his hands together. "What is it?"

"Lasagna," I answered, bouncing on my feet as I waited for the minutes to tick by and I could have the hot beverage in my hands. I was pulling it out of the microwave when Cye came into the kitchen and hugged me from behind. He startled me so bad I sloshed hot water on my hand. Now, contrary to most people, I do not scream when I'm in pain. My breath hissed in and my eyes watered as my teeth clenched. I set the mug down quickly and kicked Cye off to put my hand under the tap, running the cold water over it.

"Oh shit," Cye said, "I'm sorry!" I grit my teeth and ignored him. Kento seated himself to watch the show and hopefully see Cye get beat up. That would make his day better. "Bloody hell," I muttered as I turned off the water and dried my hand carefully. "Cye, you inconsiderate dumbass."

Cye blinked, "I apologized, what else do you need?"

"I need you to get lost before I decide to use your corpse as my new garden gnome," I said giving him an evil look. He didn't need telling twice. "Fuckin A!" I hissed, shaking my hand in pain after he'd gone.

"I'll go find blondie," Kento informed now while leaving the kitchen. I grumbled and dumped the hot water down the sink, I didn't feel like having tea any more. Kento came back in followed by Sage a few moments later. "Just do her the damn favor and heal her hand or we'll ALL be in for it later."

Sage snorted and walked up to me and I gave him a suspicious look. "Let me see your hand," he held his own out for mine, smirking at the look he was receiving. I scowled and put it out, still unsure of this. Sage took my hand gently, examining the red and blistering skin with a practiced eye. Then he lays his other over it, beginning to concentrate and soon a dull green light was being emitted from his palm. When he let go of the hand there was nothing left of the burn.

I looked at in surprise, "COOL!" I said in unabashed amazement.

"You're welcome," Sage supplied and then with task now complete, left.

"Worthless for a lot of things, but at least he comes in handly as our onfield medic," Kento said.

I was still surprised, "I wish I could do that," I said. "I'm a damn klutz and I'm always banging myself up."

"Hm, well I guess you could try to lock him in your closet and keep as your personal nurse, but..." Kento trailed off in thought. "Somehow... I doubt that would turn out good."

I paused, "Keeping Sage in my closet... nah, I'd keep him in Mary's. He's stay there willingly enough."

"...Why that is I will never understand either."

I rolled my eyes, "Your more naive than me and that is scary." I walked out of the door and called in a loud voice, "DINNER TIME!" Before I shut the kitchen door and locked it. I dusted off my hands and said, "That way I can set the table and get the food out without people diving into it before they even sit down."

This caused Kento to raise a brow. "Why not just do all of that and then call then to the table?"

"They go ballistic the moment I pull it out of the oven," I answered smoothly. "You're not the only one whose nose alerts them the second food is available.

"No? Well that's news to me," he said while pulling up a seat at the table.

I pulled the lasagna out of the oven and set it carefully down on the cutting board I'd placed on the table specifically for it. Only when I was good and ready did I walk over and open the door, halting the yelling and banging they'd been doing to get in before Kento ate dinner for them."What was that about?" Justin demanded.

I shot him a look as I sat down. "Preserving my sanity for as long as I could," I answered coolly.

"Eh, she was just in here making out with Kento," snorted Rowen.

I gave him an evil glare and said, "What's the matter, Rowen? Jealous?"

"Yeah that Sage is now preoccupied with Mary instead of him," Kitty commented.

I burst into laughter at Rowen's facial expression."Ah, poor Rowen. Gets left out in the cold, ne?"

"Mhm," she nodded to this with a grin. "And he's lost Kento to you and now Ryo's my buddy so all he's left with is... Cye."

Kento snorted at this, "No wonder you've been so pissy lately Ro."

I laughed at Kitty's comment about Rowen and Cye, "Can anyone say Masochism and Sadism?"

"Oh sure, but it won't mean much to them."

Rowen shuddered, "No thank you."

"Something tells me this is one of those times where it would be good to know what something meant," Kento said.

I snorted, "Kento, think of it this way. Sadism is pleasure from causing pain, Masochism is pleasure from receiving pain. Do I need to say more?"

There was a very long pause before he says, "No."

I snorted, "Good, because I would have told you to ask Rowen."

Rowen shook his head quickly, "No sirree, I'm NOT telling him about it!"

"The hell is your problem Rowen?" Kitty asks with a raised brow. "It's not like you'd be explaining sex to him."

Rowen grumbled, "With Kento, I probably would have to."

"Hey!" Kento protested. "The hell is that supposed to mean?"

I was taking a drink from my glass as I heard this and laughed so hard I almost choked. "Oh dear God," I said, when I could finally get air. "Please tell me he's not THAT bad?"

"And this is who you spend your time with," she pointed at Kento with her fork. Kento for his part blinked stupidly.

I raised my hands, "I might seem naive but I'm not that bad, ok? I know how it works, just doesn't mean I've done it. Now please - he's just pathetic." I dropped my head onto the table, still laughing.

"Hey now I know about sex alright," he grumbled and then jerked a thumb over in Ryo's direction. "Pyro is the clueless one when it comes to girls."

Ryo blinked, "What? Aw, now come on, why drag me into this?" he whined

Kento smirked and said, "Because you're an easy target."

I waved Kento off, "Leave him alone, poor guy's Asexual AND clueless."

"Hey now none of that," Kitty came to his rescue. "He's neither of those."

My eyebrows shot up, "You're joking. No, never mind, I don't want to know." Kento burst into laughter at the looks on Kitty and Ryo's faces.

Mary snorted, "That's enough discussion about this while I'm eating," she said.

Ryo was spluttering, "But-but-we-you-" Kitty puts one finger on his lips to shut him up with a wink and hopes he'd get the hint and just shut up and let them think what they wanted.

Kento was still chuckling, "Now there's a shocker."

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, its about as likely that they did anything as you and I did, Kento."

Cye's eyebrows quirked up, "You didn't?"

I slammed my hand onto my forehead, shaking it slowly from side to side in embarrassment. "I'm telling you, keep spending all this time with him and they're going to start thinking things," Kitty was smirking at this point. "Not to mention all the affection."

I groaned, "How can a guy and a girl be friends without constantly having it suggested that they ought to be or are, God forbid, more than that?" I looked out between my fingers at Kitty with accusing eyes.

Cye said, "Hey, come be my friend!"

"Like that's gonna happen," Kento told him flatly.

"Hey, guys and girls can be friends and only friends until kissing starts becoming involved," she tells her. "Then it starts... to look like more than that."

"He kept asking for them!" I pointed at Kento accusingly

"Not all of them," Kento admits with a grin. "Some you did on your own."

I hit my head against the table. "As pay offs or else throwing you off guard long enough to beat the shit out of you. Don't think those count."

"Oh yes they do," he nodded his head.

"Think what you want, you're really pathetic," I shot him a dirty look before standing up. "And I officially have no appetite now."

"Yeah Kento has that effect on people."

I snorted, "No, they ALL do!"

Justin piped up, "Can I have yours?"

I gave him a weird look and shrugged, handing him my plate. "Whatever, kid."

"I'm not a kid!" he said.

I looked back at him, "Yeah you are."

"How can you mistake this handsome face as a kid's?" he asked in horror. I turned around and stared for a moment for beginning to laugh my ass off.

Kento shakes his head before saying, "Kid... you need help."

"Understatement," I laughed out. "He needs an entirely new brain." I walked from the room, still laughing.

"I do not need help," Justin sulked.

"Says the one who sold his soul to a gaming system!" I yelled back at him. Kento shakes his head at Justin in complete disbelief. The phone rang and of course it was the repair shop. "You guys' van is ready," I hollered out at them. "And please don't destroy anything in your celebration!"

Rowen muttered, "I'll save the celebration for when we're far away. I don't want to jinx it."

Kento nodded to this, "Yeah, how's another country to you?"

"Aw," Kitty pouted.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I walked out into the kitchen and clapped my hands imperiously. "All right, you lot," I announced with a somewhat wicked smile. "Time to finish watching the anime!"

Ryo groaned. "Do we have to?" he whined.

"Yeah," Kitty nodded. "What else are you going to do with the hours to go until your van is dropped off?"

"Find a nice hole to crawl into," Rowen mumbled.

I ran over and swung my arms around Rowen's shoulders, hugging him from behind. "Rooowweeen," I said in a whiney voice, "That's mean!"

"Pah, go bug Kento," Rowen grumbled getting away from her. He did not WANT to see the rest of it. He remembered all too well what happened to him, and he didn't need reminders

I sulked and then grinned, glomping Rowen to the ground. "'s ok Touma, we lovels you!" Probably wasn't very reassuring, but judging by Kento cracking up in the backround it was entertainment value.

"Oh shoot me now," he moaned out

"Don't tempt me," Sage chimed in

"Nope!" I chimed in brightly. "You have to finish watching first. C'mon!" I grabbed his arm and pulled him irrestably towards the living room and his doom.

Mary grinned, "This is going to be great." She took the chair, having popped in the DVD already.

I grinned as I settled into the bean bag, stretching out and getting comfortable Sage was to my right and Rowen to my left, sitting beside Mary on Justin's purple pancake. Ryo was within kicking distance and that was precisely what he was going to get every time he made an embarrassing comment. He just didn't know it yet.

"And we shall again skip the embarassing opening theme song," Mary commented and everyone shuddered...That thing was just WRONG

I said, "Damn straight, it scarred me forever."

"Same here," Sage and Cye chorused making faces

"I still don't understand why they model for a photo shoot every time they armor up," I volunteered, watching Ryo's said occurence.

"Mm, don't think Kitty is complaining," Mary pointed to said person, "Sides the animators had to take pride in drawing and animating those designs. Can we say total bitch to do those frames?"

I snickered, "It's still embarrassing."

"Not as embarassing as what's coming up," Rowen mumbled under his breath

"True," I ceded, "But that's beyond embarrassing... that's blindingly horrifying."

Mary watched as it had come to the part where Kayura started to drain Ryo's armor, and then she smacked Rowen in the back of the head

"OW! The hell?" Rowen griped. "Everytime you state the obvious, I'm hitting you," she announced

I cheered, "Yay!"

Mary hit Rowen for the upteemth time, "HEY I didn't say anything that time!"

"So, now I'm just hitting you whenever anyone states the obvious, they learned it from you," she bluntly told him

Kento started laughing his rear end off as he heard this.

Rowen grabbed her hand when she went to hit him again, and then snatched her other, and gave a tug pulling her into his lap; "Ha can't hit me now..." And at that point he said something obvious on the screen so she elbowed him in the gut. Now the entire rest of the room was laughing at Rowen. Of course they would be doing a lot more laughing after Rowen gave his touching little speech...And then that came on, and Mary sniggered because she heard the archer moan out 'shoot me now.'

I laughed, "Nope. Though you're not the only one who's going to suffer."

"Awww Rowen!" Sage said with a grin, "He cares about us!"

Cye wiped at a fake tear, "It's so nice to know."

"Shut up you guys," he hissed out, ears red.

I groaned as Ryo made another 'juiced' comment and I slammed my foot into his back. "OW!" he yelled, "What on earth-"

"You're a dork," I said. "Who the hell says 'juiced' anyway?"

"He does, often," Sage quipped

"Because he's a dork," I clarified and then kicked him again.

"Ow! NOW what?"

"I felt like it," I shrugged.

"Wow Ro, you really got put through a meat grinder," Sage commented with a wince as Kayura proceeded to knock Strata out of the sky, on the television. Rowen was sulking, though he still had a tight hold on Mary, he was not going to let her hit him again, no way

I patted Rowen's head, "Poor Touma!"

"Shush you," he grunted

I smirked and said, "Not a snowball's chance in hell of that happening."

"Damn it," Rowen groused, and then moaned, "I want to skip the next episode, please?" He sounded absolutely pathetic.

I shook my head, "Nope, you're all forced to view this for your own health - or lack thereof."

I groaned as Sage made a very Kento-esque comment. I reached over to slap him upside the head but he caught my arm. "I am not Rowen," he said with a look in my direction.

In response to that, I reached my other arm around and whacked up the back of the head. "No, you're just the blond who stuck his finger into the socket too many times and ended up with lightning powers."

Rowen sighed through his nose, "Why don't you just kill me quickly, please?" Mary managed to get away from the archer and sat back down in her seat, "Just be glad we're not making you watch the OVA's." Sage went sheet white at mention of that

I saw his change of expression. "Can't we, please?" I asked with an evil grin.

"No, I can actually tolerate him," Mary said in a calm tone. "Actually we could just skip Gaiden."

Sage seemed to brighten, "Works for me!"

I snorted, "Sure, take away all my fun."

"Sides the other two are more embarassing, anyway," Mary said with a grin

"Let's just finish watching this, eh?" Cye queried, he actually got a kick out of watching his teammates exploits. He thought it was funny as hell.

"Talpa, you gross pedophile!" I yelled at the TV, watching the creep loom over the eleven year old girl.

"I'm scared," Rowen moaned out, eyes tightly shut.

"Oh please we all know you had the hotts for her," Sage waved him off

"WHAT?" Rowen demanded

Kento was rolling around laughing so hard he could barely breathe.

Cye chortled, "Mm, 14 and 11, not that much of an age difference...Actually."

"Shut up!" Rowen growled out

"Yeah, Rowen doesn't want anything to jeopardize his and Cye's relationship," I giggled.

"GROSS," Rowen shook his head, "I'll stick with Kayura!"

"Their kids would be so cute, little blue haired smurfs all over the place," Mary jibbed

I burst into hysterics, managing to get out between peels of laughter, "If they all state the obvious like him, though, I'll have to go on a homocidal spree!"

"Nu uh they'd get Kayura's wit and charm," Mary grinned. Rowen was now trying to hide IN the pancake.

"And better get her good looks too," I said, "And her fighting ability... and in general, not turn out like Touma."

Cye and Sage were howling and Kento sniggered out, "Well, looks like they've got your future all planned out for you Rowen."

"I have no future, I'm stealing Ryo's katana and falling on it," Rowen announced

"That's cheating," I pointed out. "Being a coward, you'll dishonor your whole family."

"No, suicide is honorable in our society," Rowen pointed out

"Not being a coward though."

"After this I must reclaim my honor, as I have dishonored them," he said with a nod

"Okay, shut up and watch the anime," Mary told him

Ryo made another comment that earned him another kick in the back. "OW! QUIT THAT!"

"Nope," I grinned. "Makes up for how embarrassing your catchphrases are."

"Nothing can do that," Cye snorted out.

I commented randomly, "You know, I always thought Anubis was the best looking one of everyone in the show."

Kento's eye twitched.

"Ya give me a Warlord, not these stringy teens," Mary nodded.

I high fived her with a smirk, "Yeah, we know where the real gold is."

Kento said, "Hey! I'm not stringy!"

"No, but you were dopey," Mary waved him off.

"He's animated enough when food comes into the picture," I said with a snort. "...pun not intended," I added, realizing what I'd said.

"Sure..." Cye told me. I reached over and kicked him for good measure. "OW!"

Sage gave a snort, "Are we done with these yet?"

I had a happy expression as I said, "Cye, that was music to my ears!" I turned to Sage and said, "No, the most embarrasing one yet is soon to come, however."

"I'm actually looking forward to their reactions," Mary commented with a grin

I said, "I already know mine. A great big, "OW MY EYES!"

Kitty chuckled at this, "Liar."

I flicked her off. "You're the one who is into guys, I'm strictly A-sexual."

"I beg to differ," Kento said in a strained voice. Sage, Rowen and Cye had perplexed looks on their faces, not understanding what they were talking about. I grinned at them, "Just wait," I said.

"Wait for it," Mary eagerly said, the guys on the screen had just let Ryo convince them to kill him and get rid of Talpa..."Wait for it..." She grinned thinking to add, "Manly tears, and..."

I immediately buried my head in the beanbag, saying in a muffled voice, "Tell me when its over."

A few seconds later...

"OH MY FUCKING GOD!"

Sage was aghast, "What the hell?!""

Cye had his hands over his eyes, "Oh my Kami, my kingdom for ACID to burn out my eyes."

I reached over and was thwacking Kento in the side repetively as the Ronin of Hardrock yelled, "This is NOT fair!"

Kitty was in hysterics, leaning back laughing so hard at their reactions she had tears coming from her eyes.

"That explains why Mia was looking at us funny afterwards," Rowen mused.

"She got an interesting view," Mary conceded.

"Is it safe yet?" I asked.

"Yes, the tempermental Jewel of Life has just saved Ryo, worthless trinket, as useful as the Ancient One," Mary commented.

I sniggered as I lifted my head out of my beanbag. "Good. But I'll admit that Kento was the best looking one of them."

Kento had a pink tinge to his face and I was quickly gagged by his hand to prevent further comments. "Shut up," he hissed in embarrassment.

"Oh I don't know, one chick on SF has a very nice shot of all five of them," Mary added in.

I licked his hand, making him jump back in revulsion. "Ak!" he said.

I sniggered, "What, can't handle a compliment Kento?"

"There's something WRONG with you," Rowen told Mary.

She hit him, "Stating the obvious again."

"He has a disease, he needs to be quarantined," I said of Rowen.

"I wanna know why the flames were lowest on me, did the animators have a crush or something?" he queried. I burst into laughter.

"I always wondered that," Mary commented

I groaned as the show ended, "And therein lies a legacy of embarrassing phrases, stupid actions and retarded teenage boys. Well... really, the whole thing defines teenage boys."

"Amen," Mary cheered

Kento cheered, "Thank God that's over!"

Rowen made his way out of the room exceedingly quickly, and Cye chortled as the archer ran I laughed and said, "Well that was worth it anyway."

Sage shook his head, "I was good until the naked us part...I am now scarred for life."

I clapped him on the shoulder, "We all are, I just thought you deserved to share our fate. Considering I was an innocent virgin until my eyes were raped by that immodest display."

"I thought you're brother mooned you?" Sage quirked an eyebrow.

Mary grabbed him by his ear, "Just go back to the room."

I crossed my arm, "That was my brother and therefore different altogether. You lot are just creepy."

Sage gave a wry grin, "Hmmm..."

"No un-Sage like comments, or we'll get told about out-of-characterness," Mary told him, twisting said ear.

"Ouch, okay okay I'll shut up," she let got of his ear and he disappeared up the stairs

I snorted out, "He's the creepiest one of them all. I can't help it if everyone but me was a bloody nudist in my family!"

"Shh! Or Cye'll come back," Mary warned.

I blinked, "I said everyone but me!" I protested. "He wants to go peep at my mom who's almost fifty, he's welcome to it."

"Not commenting, not commenting," Mary shook her head, "Not with Kento's naginata iron bo...No way."

I sniggered and hooked an arm around Kento's neck. "How ya doin?" I asked with a grin. "Considering I just about killed you back there?" He grumbled something incoherent. "What's that?" I asked, "Sorry, I don't speak Mumble-jumble."

---------------------------------------------------------------

I walked up to Kitty and tapped her shoulder, "Hey, want to help Mary and I with one last evil plan?"

"When have I ever said no?" she answered simply.

I grinned and shrugged, "This one might not appeal to you so much, so come on up and we'll tell you about it."

This makes her quirk one brow while following me up, "Exactly what have you got planned?"

I grinned evilly as I opened up Mary's door, closing it after Kitty. Mary looked up at us as we came in and I turned to Mary's shadow. "Okay puff, scram. We need to talk in private."

Sage quirked an eyebrow and Mary said, "Sage, we're plotting, you might want to bail." He shrugged and set down Milo and walked out of the room.

I turned to Kitty and said, "Now is when we decide how to get them to drive off with Tucker and leave us with White Blaze," I said proudly.

Kitty chuckled and plopped down on Mary's bed, "How did I know this was coming?"

Mary shrugged, "Could be because you know us. Could be because you're psychic. Fact of the matter is its pretty predictable that we'd steal the cat and ship the guys off with orders to never return."

"Or else die slowly and painfully," I added with a grin.

She said to this, "Alright, I'm in... so what do you have in mind? Obviously this won't be easy."

I smirked, "Ah contraire, mon belle. I have an airbrush courtesy of nii-san, sleeping pills courtesy of my doctor, and much evil genius, courtesy of the combined minds of Mary and I."

"It'll be a snap," Mary said calmly, from behind her laptop.

"Ok, so are we going to paint the dog to look like the tiger, slip them sleeping pills so they'll be drowsy and then switch the animals out?"

"We have to drug Tucker because he's likely to have a panic attack while we 'prepare' him," I explained.

"It'll be dark when they leave and they won't be able to see much of him anyway, once he's in the back of the van."

"They're not going to care to see much of him," Mary snorted, "They want gone like yesterday."

"Alright..." she drawled out, trying to completely understand this little plan they had going on. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Hmm," I contemplated this. "We'll have to take Tucker outside to paint him up," I said. "I'll get my airbrush stuff together, Mary, you grab the bottle of pills out of the cabinet and Kitty, sneak Tucker down to the rec room."

"Sir, yes, sir," giving a mock salute she was out the door to complete her part of the plan.

"Yessum!" Mary saluted finishing up her last and final prject before closing up the laptop...She made a face, "Can I fedex a muffin laced with these pills to my teachers?"

"I need some left for their actual purpose, ya know!" I said with a laugh before heading into my room to dig out the airbrush and accessories.

"One pill split in half will cover both the teachers I'm thinking about," Mary said, before heading out of her room and grabbing the bottle, stashing it in her pocket..."Oi, Sage coast is clear."

The swordsman gave a snort, "I'm not going to even ask what devilry you're up to this time," He waved her off, and disappeared back into the room.

Mary shrugged, "Like I'd have told him?"

I collected the box and its assorted goodies, carrying it awkwardly out of the room and down the stairs. Rowen looked over to see me leaving and said, "Uh oh, what now?"

I stuck my tongue out at him and said, "Nunya!" before opening the door with one hand, box held under my arm, and heading outside.

"I think we can get away with giving him a quarter of a pill," Mary remarked

I nodded and broke one apart accordingly. "Ok, Mary, you hold him I'll put it down in the back of his mouth so he swallows it."

"I don't think we have to make it that difficult," Mary commented..."It's Tucker, not Magnum he's not going to play with the pill before he eats it."

"Ah, but he'll spit it out," I said. "Everything does it compulsively."

"Not if you trick 'em," Mary remarked, producing a piece of bread, wrapped the pill in it, and gave it to the dog. It was gone in milliseconds. "Plus, it's Tucker, he's too stupid to spit it out," she added

I snickered, "I like that one," I commented. "Reminds me of sneaking the pills into the Ronin by use of the burritos."

"Mmm, Taco Bell," was Kitty's immediate response while a dreamy look came over her face.

I laughed and began to assemble the airbrush, "While we wait for him to get dopey enough, I'll put this thing together and learn how to use it." I hadn't even fully unpacked it since nii-san had given it to me, because I hadn't had anything to use it on. Then the Ronins had shown up. I grinned evilly.

"Let's get tacos after they leave, to celebrate our victory," Mary grinned

"Is there even a taco bell near here?" I asked conversationally.

"Florence, everything is in freakin' Florence," Mary commented

"Bah," I said. "Well, we'd live I guess."

Kitty asks, "How far away is that?"

"Fifteen minutes," Mary shrugged, "As far as Westminster was from Manchester."

I pointed at Tucker, whose eyes were now hazy, "I think he's ready. Better lead him outside while he's still conscious, Mary," I said as I picked up the airbrush.

"Let's hope the ASPCA doesn't find us out," Mary grumbled, half carrying the dog out

"Nah, this isn't abuse - we're prettifying him!" I said cheerfully.

"No comment," Mary innocently whistled.

"Somehow I don't think they'll see it that way," Kitty commented.

I laughed and shrugged. "Ah, well, I know my excuse for when PETA hammers on our door," I said and began my job.

"People Eating Tasty Animals!" Mary chirped

I laughed and I involuntarily gave Tucker a white swirl mark on his side. "Thanks, Mary," I snickered. "Please keep your smart comments in until I'm done with this, kay?"

"You're asking me not to breathe, you realize?" she asked in mock hurt and horror

I gave another snort, this time almost jabbing the dog with my airbrush. "MARY!"

"Mm, I'm pretty popular today," she mused

"Shut up before I turn my artistic abilities on you," I said menacingly, waving my airbrush around to emphasise my point.

"Careful, you'll end up repainting the Rec Room," she warned.

"It needs a paint job anyhow," I shrugged.

"White and Black stripes...It's the new pink?" Mary offered

I laughed, "Maybe." I switched colors, now giving Tucker pretty black stripes. "There, done!" I said as I leaned back to admire my work. "Some hair gel and we're good to go.

"Who wants to use Sage's crazy-glue hair gel?" Mary offered. "For that permanent hold!'

I laughed, "Good idea, I'll go snitch it." I got up and jogged up to the house.

Kitty blanched, "I'm good."

"Aww, and you used to like him, a LOT," Mary commented. "I still have the tape of him streaking, by the way," She added

"...I thought we got rid of that?"

"No, I just deleted the two seconds after it, so it'd read, 'recording erased'," Mary grinned, "I do have evil tendencies, believe it or not."

This made her grin, "Copy please!"

Mary sniggered, "No problem! DVD or Vhs?"

"DVD."

"Kay, done," Mary announced

I came back a few moments later, hair gel in hand. "Okay Tucker," I announced gleefully. "Time for you to finally achieve the body volume you always wanted!" Tucker's tongue was lolling out the side of his mouth and his eyes were completely shut

Kitty shook her head, "Poor dog."

I sat down and began to work the goop into the dog's hair, grinning as he began to look more and more like the cat. I completely slicked down the hair on his tail and said, "There, it's White Blaze's doppelganger. Sort of. Maybe."

"A really sick one," Mary agreed.

"No comment."

I laughed, "Yeah, well, at least he had enough hair to pull this off. He was good for something after all!"

"Everything has it's usefulness, but, and forgive me for quoting Talpa, even the Ronins outlive their's," Mary brought in.

I snickered. "Couldn't agree more, oh buddy of mine," I said as I carried the sleeping dog into the rec room. "And since we're Talpa's modern day successor's, what's to fear from quoting the old bastard? I correct myself," I said quickly. "The old pedophile."

Mary snorted, "That said it all."

I laughed. "But we're not pedo's so no worries. Even if I did miss my hormone delivery," I snickered at the thought.

"Now what are we going to do? I demand blood, or at least some form of torture to be done to the Ronin now, they'll get suspicious if we don't do anything," Mary commented.

I said thoughtfully, "We've got an hour until their van is delivered, hmm, what to do in an hour?"

"Kitty has to come up with something," I said with a grin. "It's her turn."

She blinked at this, "Wah?"

I nodded vigerously, "Your turn for an evil plan, Kitty!"

"Ahh..." was all she could come up with.

I sighed and shook my head, "Kitty, where's your Kokatsu Na Neko spirit?"

Kitty crosses her arms over her chest, "Lost somewhere between homework and Spanish."

I sighed, "OK then, I have one. Time to teach Ryo Spanish!"

"How's that going to work?" Mary raised an eyebrow.

I looked at Mary, "Any suggestions? I know you don't remember most of it, but we'll get him to echo our sentences in Spanish. I can translate whatever you have in mind."

Kitty grinned evilly, "Can I make him say anything I want him to?"

I laughed at Kitty's response, "Yeah, all's fair."

"Obviously we can have him insult the other Ronin," Mary commented, "Rowen's the only one who's going to understand a word of it anyway; the geek."

I sniggered, "Yep, we'll get him to do all kinds of awful stuff. You in, Kitty?"

"Sure, then of course I'm in," she said.

"Why am I not surprised?" Mary asked nobody in particular.

"Let's go!" I said with a wide grin. "Time to harass the Hispanic Wannabe!"

Mary followed behind me, oh she had forgotten MOST of her Spanish, not ALL of it

"Ryo!" I sang out as we entered the house. "Come here flame boy, we wanna talk with you!"

Ryo looked up from what he is doing, noticed that Cye bolts from the room..."And what devious torture awaits me this time, ladies?"

I grinned widely, "We're going to give you a lesson in Spanish before you leave!"

"Oh hell," Rowen snorted out from behind the book he was reading.

Ryo ignored the archer, "And what prompted this?"

"Shut up, geek," I shot at Rowen and then said sweetly to Ryo, "We just wanted to have some quality time with you before you leave for good!"

"Ah huh, you were better off telling the truth," Ryo commented.

I smiled widely, "No fun in that, is there?"

"Maybe not, but it doesn't sound as demonic," Ryo offered.

Kitty waved him off, "Stop being a kill joy."

I feigned insult, "Pardon? Me, sounding demonic? Are you implying that I did not achieve the level of maniacal evil that I wanted?"

"Not being a kill joy, just tell me what exactly you want," Ryo said in a calm tone, rolling his eyes, "You and Kayura would get along, Ro's right."

I grinned at him, "Good boy! Now, time for the lesson to begin. Say this to Kitty, 'desee ser mi novia?'" Kitty immediately had to stop herself from laughing.

Ryo blinked, wrinkled his nose, and then carefully said it, then asked, "Was that right?"

"You girls are mean," Rowen chortled.

"Yep, but we're gorgeous while we're at it!" I said with a wicked grin.

"Si, that was right," Kitty tells him with a smile. "And the answer is maybe."

Ryo blinked, "Ro what did..."

"Not sharing," the archer quipped

"And maybe pretty much means no," I grinned, quoting Jack Johnson's song.

"Oh hell," Ryo moaned out.

"Think Sage would have a better chance," she teased.

"Now try this one: Kento es un idiota."

Ryo did it, and Rowen was howling. "Why are you having me call Kento an idiot?" Ryo then asked.

"Simple pleasures are the best," I said with a grin.

Kitty laughed at that, "Uh oh, the mexican wannabe knows some Spanish."

"Umm, it sounded like idoit, just was an 'a' on the end, I'm not THAT stu-" Here he paused to wham Rowen in the head, "Pid."

I chuckled and looked at Mary, "Can you think of one?" I asked her with a grin.

"Not sharing," Mary commented, "You go again. Amigo," she pointed to Ryo, "Compadre, we need to talk, si?" Ryo gave a nod. "After mis amigas are done with you."

"Gee thanks," Ryo grumbled.

"De nada," Mary quipped

"Okay then, say 'Yo quiero pasar mi vida con gatita.'" Kitty quirked one brow at me in question to that one. I smirked and gave her a single index finger, gesturing for her to wait.

"Come on that's really mean," Rowen protested

I said, "Shut up Rowen, before I decide to teach you German!"

"I know it, Danke," Rowen commented going back to his book

"Hmm," I frowned and then grinned, "I'll give you permanent amnesia."

"Danke sehr viel," Rowen quipped.

Mary hit him, 'Shush."

Rowen grimaced "Fine, but ya guys are rotten."

Ryo was totally and completely bewildered, "I'm not saying it."

"Say it!" I ordered him, cracking my knuckles significantly.

"Now there's no WAY I'm saying it," Ryo told her

Kitty added in, "It's nothing bad."

"Let it go Rebekah," Mary waved her off

I walked over and thwacked the top of his head, "Ass," I told him.

"Amigo!" Mary chirped, grabbing Ryo for a moment, "We need to talk, si? Come with me." Ryo permitted her to drag him off; she hadn't done anything THAT bad to him for the whole 'visit'

I sighed, "She spoiled my fun! What's so wrong with trying to get Ryo to propose to Kitty? C'mon, she doesn't have to accept."

"Por favor?" Mary queried, "All right," Ryo sighed out, "Muchos gracias," she chirped glomping him...The two walked back into the room

Kitty yawned, "This is starting to bore me."

I looked over, curious at what that was about.

Ryo walked over to Kitty, have her a kiss, and the announced with a very board grin, "Kitty es mi esposa!" I burst into hysterical laughter and Rowen fell out of the chair.

Cye had walked in at that precise moment and was gaping, "Woah, bad timing?"

"Apparently, Ryo and Kitty got married," Rowen coughed out.

"QUE?!" I was almost on my knees with laughter.

"No! No es mi esposa!" she was saying now while backing away from him.

"My dear, let us leave," Ryo protested in Spanish.

I sniggered ever the louder

Mary chuckled, "See, I didn't forget all of my Spanish. He he."

"He'd better be careful, being too much of a kiss ass won't earn him anything but a divorce!" I sniggered.

Ryo sat down with a grin, "So much more fun when you know what you're saying before you say it."

"Donde es mi anillo?" she asks with a smirk and holds up her hand.

"En el servicio," I sniggered.

"No," Ryo shook his head and then handed her a ring pop.

"I do come prepared," Mary smirked

I patted Mary's back, "I knew I kept you for something."

She rolled her eyes and waved it off, "Seguro"

"No insurance," I grinned. "Evil plans, more like."

"A ring pop?"

"I got married with one," Mary protested.

"NANI?" Ryo and Rowen demanded

"Dontcha wanna know who her husband is?" I grinned hugely.

"Su Sage!"

"No, nu uh, iie, no, nein," Rowen quickly fired off all the 'no's he could think of

I sniggered, "Sage wishes."

"Oh please, it's Monty," Mary said in a bored tone

Cye's jaw was on the other side of the room by this point in time.

"I like Sage to look at, in no way would I want to be married to him," Mary added and Rowen fell out of his chair again. "That's so much fun," she mused.

I grinned, "Yeah, it's like knocking over penguins!"

"But I like penguins," Mary protested, "I don't like these guys. I know! It's duckpin bowling," she grinned.

I grinned, "I like penguins too but its still funny when they fall."

"Ano, am I off the hook now?" Ryo queried

"Maybe," I said, just as the tow truck pulled into the driveway with their van. I looked out at the night and said, "Hey, we get to ditch them for good now!" I grinned.

"Thank you Kami-sama!" Rowen cheered putting his book away, shooting off to go fine Kento and drag Sage out of Mary's room

I laughed and as everyone moved to collect their stuff, Mary and I transplanted a still dopey tucker into the back of their van and concealed the real cat behind our house, with instructions for him just to lay low for a bit. The cat acquiesced nicely, evidently not too perturbed at finally ditching these losers. The Ronins had actually been nice and said goodbye to Justin. And then pulled Sage out of Mary's room, he had actually managed to fit in the closet that time.

"Somebody really was attached to Milo," I mused with a grin.

"Mhm," Mary nodded, "Definitely."

I grinned at the line up of guys and said, "Hey, Kento, before you go, I have a present for you!"

He seems suspicious of what it could be, "Yeah?"

I said, "I know I'm never going to live this down..." I walked over to him and grabbing his shirt, yanked him down to my level, slamming my mouth onto his.

"Wohoo! Go girl," Mary cheered

"No... frickin... way," Kitty grins and hoots.

I pulled back from him, "That do?" I asked with a slight smirk.

"Ahh... dah... ye..yeah," he stumbles out, swallowing the rest of his surprise.

I smirked, "Good." Turning to Kitty, I said, "Told ya I could make him stutter!" I skipped back towards the other girls but paused, "Hey, it just occurred to me I don't have to cook anymore... WOOT!"

"TACO BELL!" Kitty cheers

I grinned as Rowen was already trying to clambour in but Cye yelled at me, "HEY! I want one!"

I flicked him off, this time with both hands. "Drop dead, pervo."

Ryo shook his head a little, stepping forward to say goodbye to Kitty, "I think I at least owe you a goodbye hug, ne?"

"Ah, no, that's ok," she took a step back from him, still uneasy after what had just happened in the house. "I'm good."

"Aww, Kitty I was only playing," Ryo gave a pout, "I didn't mean to upset you or anything, you know that right?"

Mary gave a wry grin, "Oi, hold on a minute now, Ro, I have to say goodbye..."

"Oh Kami," Rowen moaned out;

Mary snorted, saying to Sage, "Now Seiji, remember what we talked about?"

The swordsman gave a nod, "Yeah, I'll IM you later."

I stifled my laughter with my hand, "Mary's in for it, she's permanently attached to her cat whore."

Kento snorts at this, "Sage, you IM people?"

I smirked and looked at Kento, "Don't even think about it, you ever contact me again and I'll devein you completely, understand?"

Sage smirks, "Only the ones I happen to like."

"Oi, minna-sama, hajime, demo," Mary calmly stated, "Can't say I'm sorry to see you go. However, I'm not letting the five of you leave without me doing one thing."

Cye looked over warily, "This can't be good."

Mary ever so calmly walked up to Sage, brought his head down and kissed him; "HOLY COW!" Rowen gaped and I giggled, I couldn't help it .

Mary pulled back, "Don't get jealous," she then proceeded to kiss Rowen, who promptly fell out of the van and Kitty blinked in shock.

I laughed, "Go Mary!" I said, emulating her cheering. "Knock em dead!"

"Cye, you're next on my list," Mary said with a grin, shouting, "Damn right I will."

"I just don't want the funeral tab," I sniggered.

Cye grinned, "Yay!" he said, being a pervert he didn't care who the kisses came from.

Mary grinned and made sure she got in a good kiss, before jabbing him in the ribs hard with her elbow, "That's for being a hentai, bakayarou."

Cye groaned, "Damn, it was worth it."

She then gave a smug grin, saying to Kitty, "Sorry, girl but I HAVE to do this one." Mary then kissed Ryo, who went about as red as his armor.

Kitty held her hands up, "Hey... not hurting me any."

"Can I trade your kiss for another from Rebekah?" Kento asked, looking ever so hopeful.

I choked on air at this, "Say WHAT?"

Mary gave a chortle before giving Kento a kiss on the cheek, "You're welcome to try Gege."

My eyebrows shot up, "Wasn't aware I was that popular." I shrugged and said with a smirk, "If he wants it he has to come and get it."

Ryo gave a pout, hugged Kitty, and then kissed her on the forehead before walking, somewhat dazed back to the other guys, who were semi-sorta-floored.

"I do not get it she ignored us more than the other two," Rowen protested

"Ignoring is not necessarily negative," I said with a smirk in their direction.

"Oh hell you guys are not that good," Mary commented, "I just wanted gloating rights. Rabid fangirls will forever hate me. There's my immortality," she sniggered

I laughed, "I knew something like that was behind it."

Sage let out a chuckle, "All right, come on you guys we need to get going...Kento hurry it up or we're leaving without you." Sage calmly pushes the other three into the van, winking to Mary, "Later."

"Much," she chirped back

I turned to Kento with a grin that was more like a wicked smirk. I was curious to see if he'd try it.

Mary grinned at Kitty, "See, I'm not that innocent, told ya so." She pointed to the camera sitting in the window sill, "Plus, I have proof of my actions too."

Cye whispered to Rowen, "I am so glad we're ditching this place."

Rowen gave a nod in agreement, "Uh huh." He was still rather shell-shocked

"Coming!" Kento hollered over his shoulder, darting over and kissing me again quickly before beating cheeks to the van before he was left.

Cye sniggered and patted his head, "Poor bloke. You need to get laid, seriously."

"Bugger off, bloody fag," Rowen shot at him

I flipped Kento off and said to Kitty and Mary, "Thank God, good riddance to bad rubbish."

"Oh I don't know, I think the kisses were worth it," She smiled and waved at the Ronin

Cye looked offended, "What? You can screw whoever you want, it doesn't necessarily have to be me."

I nodded slowly, "Yeah, kinda makes up for the whole awful week."

"Speak for yourselves," she mumbled and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Aww, you coulda had him," I said, patting Kitty on the back, meaning Ryo.

"Mhm, and the evidence of our adventures back it up," She nodded;

Sage rolled his eyes, "You're all going to shut up; capiche?" He then pulled out of the driveway, and then slammed on the gas...His racecar driving tactics kicking in.

She huffed, "Who said I wanted him?"

I smirked as they drove off, "And somewhere, five hundred miles away, it dawns on them... that isn't White Blaze in the back."

"AHHHH SAGE!" Rowen and Ryo yelled, from some five miles down the road...

"He took that sharp turn," Mary mused.

"Once they're done hanging on for their life," I sniggered.

"I love that I 'fixed' Sage," Mary grinned

I grinned and nodded, "He's much cooler now."

"Mhm, very," Mary nodded, "Come on Kitty, I have Ryo's sn."

"They ought to be to Mmm, PA within two hours the way Sage is driving," She said

I grinned in response and calling White Blaze, "Its safe now!" I hollered and the cat came out, purring appreciatively. He stalked us back inside, settling himself around us happily. I petted his head, "Such a good, smart kitty!" I said, causing his purr to grow even louder.

"Eh, that's ok," she waved it off. "Don't want it."

"You sure?" Mary queried, "You know you like him, and he did warm up to you. He even forewent the eloping and got straight to the marriage," she added

"Soy seguro," she replies, shuddering at that memory. "I'm positive about that."

I snickered, "I have to agree. She doesn't want Ryo same as I don't want Kento. A week with them was MORE than enough."

"Oh well I have kitty," Mary commented glomping Blaze, "And Sage's sn, cell phone number, and home address."

I gaped, "Mary, that's a little bit... stalkerish."

Kitty nudged me, "Sounds more like she got herself a novio."

I smirked, "Sounds about right, LDRs are so much fun."

"He's the one who wanted me to have it," Mary shrugged, smirking, "I also have the guys home addresses...Time for the funny mail to begin. I laughed outright at that. "Oh please, they never work," Mary rolled her eyes, "Like I said, I like looking, nothing wrong with window shopping. Besides, their Japanese and short...I'm an American Mutt and tall, it'd never work."

Kitty pointed to herself, "Sometimes... I like being short."

I grinned and flopped into my computer chair, "Ah, well, it was fun to annoy them. I shall treasure the memory of the expression on Kento's face at my 'present' forever and ever, amen."

Mary opened her mouth, and then picked up her phone which was rining, "Chello? Oh hi, you make it to PA? Ya you did...Damn that didn't take long..."

I laughed and then yelled loud enough for Sage to hear, "DRIVE FASTER YOU SLOWPOKE, SAGE!"

"Ah-" She held the phone away from her ear, as Sage hollered back, "NO PROBLEM!" You could heard the others screaming in the background

I clapped my hands together, "Yay!"

Mary put the phone back to her ear, "Now Sage you do have to slw down once you're out of PA...And obey the speed limits, okay? Okay, they figure it out yet? Nope? Cool. Later, bye," she hung up

I snickered as she terminated the call. "I swear to God, if anyone comes back to get the cat they won't leave alive. He's OURS now!"

"Blaze," Mary pat the tiger, "Why'd you wind up with such stupid boys?" The cat grumbled in response.

After much a week of turmoil, a perilous car ride the Ronins finally arrive at Uncle Chen's restaurant. All were very relieved for it to be finally over.

The end.

...Or is it?


End file.
